Prophesied
by Elenea Galad
Summary: When the Fire God Agni decides to play matchmaker, a chain of events is set in motion which will save or destroy the world as it is known. As the pieces take the playing field, only the Prophesied Four can end the chaos. multpair ocwarning
1. The Beginning

**AN: Chapter 1 has been adapted from the original. This will make more sense as the story continues. **

**Pairings for the entire story, though I'd much rather just let you find out. **

**Aang/Toph; Zuko/Katara; Sokka/ (surprise); Azula/Jet; Haru/OC; several OC/OC**

**Warnings: **

**brief Aang/Katara moments**

**some graphic battle violence**

**many many OCs, though I've been told none of them are Mary-Suish...except Kioko. But don't worry about her. **

**The story itself is a little confusing. I'd suggest writing things down. **

**Some basic info:**

**This story is adapted from an original story I was writing. I thought I'd adapt it into fanfiction to see what people thought of the general plotline. **

**There are a total of Four Arcs, repeat, Four Arcs, to this story. Kinda like Seasons. **

**ARC 1: The Prophecy**

**ARC 2: The Mark of the Four**

**ARC 3: Back to Origin**

**ARC 4: The Last Line**

**So don't freak out if you see me say it's nearing the end of the Arc. Unless it's the end of Arc 4. Though there is a sequel to this. **

**If you can decipher the Prophecy before the end of Arc 4, LET ME KNOW! You will receive a special virtual prize. **

**Wow...that was a long author's note, but hey! This is a long story. Over one hundred thousand words and not even to the end of Arc 1. Well, I'll let you get started then. See you in Aye! **

**CONTINUOUS DISCLAIMER: The story, the plotline, and 90 percent of the people in it are mine. Zuko, Katara, Aang, Sokka, and all the other canon characters belong to Mike, Bryan, and Nickelodeon. **

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**Chapter 1**

_A long time ago…_

Corry stood there. She couldn't believe this was it. The end. Nothing more. Nothing left. She'd never see them again. But then again, she'd made her choice.

Then why did it feel like her heart was breaking?

They were all there. Coal, with Niga by his side. Irma and Moru, still rivals but somehow they'd formed a truce. Asa was standing next to Coal with her sister. Nika and Akia stood side by side, unlike their husbands, Irma and Moru, the two were never closer.

Moru carried the old ornate box that they'd nearly given their lives for. It was this simple antique that offered them so much hope. They'd been through so much. Fighting the Sorcerors, learning about the magic they were gifted with, trying to show the others the way. That box that the Earth Elemental carried contained the five orbs, the Spirits of the Elements that the Sorcerors had stolen.

Now they stood before her, the only Elementals from the Origin that believed.

The Seer had told them there was nothing that they could do to save their people, nothing they could do to save this world doomed to die. The Last Elemenatals made their choice. They would take their elements and create a new Origin, a new center world for the millions of parallel universes that existed. It would be this world that kept existence from collapsing in on itself, for every universe relied on the others for stability.

Corry couldn't take much more of this.

"Coal,"

His dark red eyes flicked to meet hers as Niga turned away. She reached up one final time to wrap a strand of his silky black hair around her finger.

"Corry," his voice was warning and full of grief, and her eyes hardened. She knew this wasn't any easier for them, but God, it hurt so much!

"Coal, the Seer said that if you don't return here, you will forget."

"We cannot return, but we will not forget."

She stared up at him, willing there to be another way, willing that perhaps somehow they could use her home universe to create another Origin, but the Seer said that they had to start from nothing.

"Colin…"

"…will follow us, but we will be ready for him. Don't worry."

His voice had softened but still left no room for discussion. Corry nodded, turned, and walked away. She knew she could not sway him.

But she didn't see the tears in his eyes.

Before Coal turned back to the others, he opened the small paper that Corry had given him just after leaving the Seer's. It was very simple,a poem titled The Prophecy of Four.

_Deny not the truth _

_Open to the light _

_Fear not the passage _

_Hold back not the rage _

_Dream for one forgotten _

_Pray for one whose time has come _

_Hold not to the times _

_Take what must be taken _

_Give not what cannot be lost_

He sighed and turned back to his friends and family...soon to be his children.

_And so the last Elementals took the Five Elements of their people and created a new world for a new people. The Elements continued to give their gift to the people of this new world, this new world called Aye. _

_As time passed, the Elementals forgot where they had come from, who they had been. The Elements they harbored took place within them and they gave new names to themselves. They forget their names, their families, the places they had been and the battles they had fought, but somehow, they still remembered what was important. _

_Life._

* * *

The water sparkled in the evening sun, and the soft sounds of nature settling down for the night were broken by a woman's laughter. 

She ran through the ankle-deep water, the waves rushing up around her feet, and never once did she lose her balance.

A man was chasing after her.

As she turned back to face him, she drew up a stream of water, which she cast at him. He blocked the water with an arc of flame, a look of excited determination on his face. She shrieked as he gained a few feet on her and turned to run further.

All this, Sokka of the Water Tribe took in wordlessly. But he was tense, club at his side, ready for use.

He tackled her, driving them both into the water, and they rolled, getting thoroughly wet in the process. He stood, picking her up as he did so. She struggled and screamed. A blue light erupted in her palm and she slammed the hand against his shoulder, forcing him back several feet. Landing on her feet, she was running once more. A few yards away, she stopped and smiled at him tauntingly. Water ran off them both.

Sokka ran out from his hiding place and between the two.

"Run lady, I'll hold him off!"

There was complete silence as they both just looked at him. Sokka was surprised when the man did not attack. After a few moments, he relaxed and looked back at them.

The woman looked to be about 17, 18 years old while the man was about 20. But their eyes showed age beyond their bodies.

She smiled at the young warrior.

"It's alright Sokka. He and I were just playing." She moved to stand next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"But he's a fire-bender!"

"I know that. Say, don't you have a sister named Katara?"

Sokka looked puzzled. "Yeah, what of it?"

The man spoke, in a gentle yet firm commanding voice. "Take us to her."

Sokka spun around to face him. "I will not! If you want my sister you'll…"

The woman spun him back around to face her and tilted his chin up so their eyes met.

Sokka's words died in his throat as he looked into the deep mysterious blue eyes. His club hit the sand as his grip loosened, and his will succumbed to hers.

"Right. Katara. This way."

He turned, his club dragging the sand as he walked, and disappeared into the trees.

The woman flashed a brilliant smile at the man as he walked over to her, and he rolled his eyes and placed an arm around her shoulders. They followed Sokka.

At the camp, Aang and Katara immediately took a liking to the man and woman and invited them to stay in the camp and travel with them. They took up the offer and settled down. Sokka was the first to sleep, the woman's spell taking a toll on him.

Long after the others were sleeping, the man and woman were still awake.

"Can we pull it off my heart?" The man looked at her after she spoke.

"I believe so. The girl will be no trouble, she already has feelings for the prince."

The woman turned her head to gaze on a sleeping Katara, and reached a hand to brush a strand of hair from her face.

"She is the last remaining female descendant of Nen. After her, the blood will be lost."

The man nodded.

"And now for the second piece of the plan."

He stood, and she started to stand as well, but he pushed her back down with a look.

"Perhaps it is best if I go alone."

She pouted, and he bent to brush a chaste kiss across her lips, but she grabbed his neck and forced him back down, pulling him into a deep and passionate kiss.

Around the world volcanoes trembled deep within their hearts, and the waves rolled erratically. Sailors and villagers alike were frightened of the earth and its sudden shockwaves.

They parted.

The earth stopped its erratic quaking.

"Agni…" she whispered.

"I will return my Shasa."

He pulled away from her once again, and she sighed.

"I wait for the day that we may once again cease to concern ourselves with the world and return our attentions to each other."

He smiled and chuckled lightly. Fires everywhere danced with his mirth.

"You are not the only one my goddess of the seas."

She smiled at him, and he left her with her distant niece as he himself sought the Fire Prince.

_To save life...we must take what must be taken. _


	2. All I Ask

**AN: No idea where this is going... **

* * *

Chapter 2: All I Ask

Once out of sight and sound of the encampment, the man now revealed as the Fire God, Agni, broke into a run. As his long stride ate up the ground, golden scales replaced pale skin and opaque wings burst from his shoulders.

Agni burst from the forest in his true dragon form, glittering against the night sky like the god he was. Fire-benders in a nearby town spotted him and pointed, crying out to their peers.

"It's Agni! A sign! A sign that we will win the war!"

Agni snorted fire. The Fire Nation would win the war? Not if he had anything to do with it. No nation should rule another.

His iridescent wings beat against the night wing, fire glowing in his red eyes. He flew over the seas, and the waves rolled to greet him. Even they knew of his connection to their mistress.

Finally, the ship he sought appeared in his view. He quickly located the prince, who was having a conference with a few of his men. Changing back to human form, Agni managed to enter the room without anyone noticing him.

"What do you mean, we have no idea where the Avatar is?" the prince was saying, flames appearing at his fists. Only the retired general sipping tea behind him did not appear upset or frightened at the prince's display.

"Well, sir, he disappeared in the storm, and after these quakes perhaps we should dock and wait out any aftershocks."

"I don't care about…"

"The quakes are nothing to worry about, and there will be no aftershocks, not tonight at least."

Every head turned to look at the red-eyed man standing in the corner, grinning broadly. The prince, in particular, was glaring at him, which only made his grin grow wider.

"What are you doing on my ship? More importantly, how did you get here?"

The brilliantred eyes faded to a red-gold, and Agni continued to smile. He said the one thing that he knew would get the prince's attention.

"I come from the camp of the Avatar."

The prince walked up to him and attempted to stare him down. It took every fiber of his being not to laugh, if only the boy knew who he was glaring at!

"You will take me to him."

Agni glanced around.

"Perhaps we should speak in private, young prince."

The prince nodded and the men began to file out, all but one, the retired general. But Agni was too caught up gazing into the boy's golden eyes to really care. He'd started to reach a hand up towards the boy's face when the general cleared his throat and the boy backed away without noticing the Fire God's hand.

"Whatever you have to say to my nephew, you can say in front of me."

Agni sighed and let his hand drop back to his side. He recognized the Retired General and Prince Iroh. Many years before, he had planned for the man sipping tea before him to be Fire Lord, but things don't always go as planned.

"As you wish, Prince Iroh."

Both the prince and the general stared at him. Zuko was in shock. He'd never heard anyone call his uncle 'prince' and Iroh was actually thinking the same thing. Few had called him prince, even before his war days.

"Exactly who are you, may I ask? And would you like some tea?"

"No and no. Second of all, I will not take you to the Avatar, Prince Zuko. There is no longer any need for you to chase him."

Iroh sat down and Zuko's jaw dropped.

"I have to capture the Avatar! That's the only way I can reclaim my honor!"

Agni's eyes flashed. "Your honor was never lost child! It is Ozai who is dishonorable! I…Agni has forsaken him!"

Flames erupted at the prince's fists. "How dare you speak so about…" Zuko got no further. His flaming fists were immediately extinguished and a red light was formed in the palm of the Fire God. Zuko yelped.

"What…what did you do?" Agni frowned.

"I took your bending power, but only for a moment."

He tossed the light at Zuko, and the prince was relieved to feel his inner fire return. The prince took a deep breath, determined to speak civil to this man who wielded such power.

"Why do you say that about my father? The Fire Lords carry the blood of Agni, how can the Fire God forsake my father?"

Agni sighed, walked past the young prince, and sank into a chair.

"It wasn't Ozai in particular. Solzen started it, believing that one nation should rule the others. It was then that Agni's blood forsook the royal line."

The prince sat down near the two older men. "But that doesn't make any sense."

The Fire God looked up. "Haven't you ever heard the story of Agni and Shasa?"

The prince shook his head, but Iroh chuckled. "I have, one of my favorites. In the making of the world, Agni wanted more land, and the Water Goddess wanted more seas. They could not compromise, so Alem, the ruler of the gods, banished the two to an island by themselves. Before their time on the island was up, the two deities had fallen in love and conceived a son. That son became the first Fire Lord."

The prince frowned. "But what does that have to do…"

"It has everything to do with it, my nephew. Because of his love for Shasa, the Water Goddess, Agni abandoned our people when they began to attack the other nations."

Agni himself nodded. "In fact, young prince, you can blame Prince Iroh for your troubles. If he had taken the throne like I planned for him to, you wouldn't have to worry about a thing."

Iroh looked at him. "I'll ask once again, who are you?"

Agni did not look away from the prince. "If the world has any hope of survival, the blood of Agni must be renewed in the royal line. Solzen's comet is coming. You are my last hope, Prince Zuko."

Now Prince Zuko wasn't a simpleton, and he figured it out quite quickly.

"You need me to…conceive a child with a water-bender?"

Agni rolled his eyes. That wasn't half of it, but it would do…for now. "Not just any water-bender, young prince, it must be the daughter of Nen."

Prince Zuko placed his arms on the table and folded them into a small oval, and then hid his face in them. His muffled reply could barely be heard.

"Well when you find her, let me know."

Agni chuckled. "I will. Until next time, dear princes." He stood to go.

Iroh stood with him, his eyes just beginning to show anger. "I will ask you one more time, who are you?"

Prince Zuko's head shot up. "Another thing for me as well, how can I be the last hope for Agni's blood if he forsook my family at Fire Lord Solzen? I don't carry his blood. What can I do?"

Agni was torn between the two questions. One he'd rather die than answer truthfully, the other he could live with.

He turned to Iroh. "I am Agni."

The two fire-benders stared, mouths agape, before falling to their knees before him.

"Stand, princes, and go about your business. I will return."

He slipped outside and returned to his dragon form and flew back to Shasa.

Shasa had also just told Katara what they expected of her, except she knew just who she would be 'conceiving a child' with. She wasn't happy.

They were in the middle of a heated argument when Agni landed and changed back into his human form. Shasa greeted him with a word and a smile, but he merely nodded to her. The conversation with the boy had exhausted and he lay down near the two to sleep.

The two water-benders continued their argument and Agni's red-gold eyes fell on them as his thoughts turned mainly to Shasa and the boy, Prince Zuko.

They should never know, and he had no plans to tell them.

Agni slept.

* * *

Anybody else notice Agni never referred to Ozai as Zuko's father? 


	3. Why Didn't He Listen?

**Reviews:**

**C.A.M.E.O.1 and Only: **I hate Ozai too. That's why I'm writing this.

**Spleef:** Thanks. Your story Hot Water helped inspire this.

**Monito:** So nice to see a regular reviewer! And you will see in time! You know how I love to write suspense!

**Kiraa:** Who does want to be like their mom?

**MysticAnime:** I like Agni too! It's so much fun to characterize him. Iroh didn't recognize Agni because no one's ever seen his human form before, and they weren't really paying that much attention. And girl, get some sleep! 'Brotherly Love' ain't goin' nowhere!

**Zukos Girl:** Zuko's last question has a lot of foreshadowing to it. Shasa means 'precious water.' And Agni and Shasa are actually there in a physical human form.

**Dessdiana429:** Thanks, I'll try to update as often as I can!

**SleepingDragon13:** You might be right, but then again…Nen is Shasa's younger half-sister.

**Zukoscute2:** Iroh shows a lot of emotion in this. You'll get to see him do something really cool….and really stupid!

**Crzysheelf:** (shifty eyes)…..waiting is over!

**Sorry if I missed anybody! I've never specifically referred to my reviewers like this before, but I like it. Hope you do to!**

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Chapter 3: Why Didn't He Listen?

When Katara woke the next morning, Agni and Shasa were gone. Left in her hand was a note.

_You are the daughter of Nen._

* * *

Two weeks past and Agni did not return. Prince Zuko had dismissed the encounter as a dream and went on deck to train, as always. Due to a recent storm, most of his men were working on repairs, so he trained by himself with his uncle looking on.

For once, Iroh said nothing about the prince's bending. He was thinking, and Iroh is very good at figuring out things.

He was thinking of the time when Zuko was growing up. He'd always shown a natural ability for fire-bending, first showing signs of bending at 8 months rather than the average 2 years. Though he did so more so as a child, Zuko liked to experiment with his fire rather than stick to the moves he was taught. Even now, Iroh could see him sub-consciously bringing all four elements into his moves. The prince was attempting a fire snake much like Katara's water snake at the moment.

Iroh also knew Ozai, Zuko's father, intimately from growing up. Zuko's mother had not been a bender, and Ozai had taken a long time to show any real skill in bending. Of course, now no one could beat him, but that was beside the point. In all logical planes, Zuko should not be such a good bender at such a young age.

Truthfully, you would have to factor in all the training Zuko had done over the past three years. But how could that count for his show of bending skills at such a young age? Things just weren't adding up, and that was frustrating Iroh. Frustrating him and worrying the poor general.

Unlike his nephew, he had not dismissed the encounter with the Fire God. There had to be a reason for it, and also unlike Zuko, Iroh had caught the fact that Agni had not wanted to answer Zuko's last question. Agni knew all, but what did he know?

Agni was messing with Zuko, Agni was calling the shots, Agni could be putting Zuko's life in danger, and not knowing if, when, or even why was making Iroh angry. He hadn't even tasted tea in the past three days.

Zuko caught Iroh staring at him and dropped the fire snake.

"What is it Uncle? Still not controlling my breath enough?"

Iroh jumped at being addressed, having been deep in thought.

"No you're fine."

"Going to offer me tea?"

"No, not right now."

"Want to play Pi-Sho?"

"No, maybe later."

Zuko was officially disturbed now.

"Uncle, are you feeling alright?"

Iroh glanced up at his nephew then nodded. He was fine; it was Zuko he was worried about.

A soldier came up to them excitedly and bowed to Zuko. "Sir, we have news of the Avatar's whereabouts!"

Zuko grinned. "Excellent."

* * *

Katara woke the boys up for breakfast. Neither of them seemed to have any memory of the strangers they'd encountered now two weeks ago. They ate and talked with each other just like nothing had happened. Momo flew around, chasing bugs and scavenging for nuts.

* * *

Leaving the boys, she walked through the trees to the ocean shore. Carefully, she drew up a stream of water and guided it through the air around her. Quickly, the gentle calm that had always come when she bended overtook her and she thought of what the Water Goddess had told her. How could she think of Zuko is such a way? He was her enemy! She sighed and focused on the water stream when a cough behind her startled her into dropping it.

It was Zuko.

* * *

Shasa entered the chamber dressed only in a silk blue nightgown. She yawned and stretched, causing the nightgown to shift around and above her hips, revealing much. Too bad her husband was not looking.

Agni held a flame in his palm, but the center was translucent, showing a boy with a scar and a young girl in blue. Agni's eyes flashed in anger and Shasa placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I told the boy not to chase the Avatar! Why didn't he listen to me?" The Fire God said to no one in particular.

Shasa proceeded to pout until she saw what was in the flame.

* * *

Katara threw a water whip at Zuko which he blocked easily but he didn't attack her.

"Why are you after me?"

"My men are searching the woods for your friend, the Avatar. Fighting you is only something to do until they find him."

Katara screamed and doused Zuko with a huge wave. He shook the water from his eyes and growled in anger. She ran up the beach, desperately trying to get away from the angry Fire Prince. She didn't care anymore, Shasa had to be wrong! There was no way she'd do _that_ with this bastard!

Appa burst out from the tree and Katara felt a hand grasp her wrist and she was whisked into the saddle. Surprisingly, Zuko didn't send a fireball after them. She chanced a look back at him, but he wasn't looking at them anymore. He was running down the beach, presumably back to his ship, and she was slightly surprised. Katara would have thought he'd be winded from chasing her, but he didn't appear so.

But the day was only starting.

* * *

Morning always came late in the Fire Nation, and the Fire Lord had taken the day to sleep in a little. Like anyone would dare disturb him. But someone had dared, for his dreams were beyond unpleasant.

_Someone was sitting on his throne, lolled over it like it wasn't anything but a chair. Whoever it was had allowed the sacred flames to die down. Whoever it was had made Ozai angry. And that was never a good thing. _

_The man looked up and noticed him, and the Fire Lord started towards him. _

"_How dare you enter here and disgrace the Fire Throne so!" _

"_How dare I? How dare you look upon it!" _

"_I am the Fire Lord and you will address me as such!" The man spun around, his eyes red. _

"_I will address you as no other than the fool you are!" _

_Teeth turned to fangs and golden wings sprouted from shoulders. A burst of flame from the dragon's mouth flew towards him and he had no time to block it. _

Fire Lord Ozai woke sharply and sat up with a small cry. He half expected to see the man/dragon standing in his bedchambers, waiting for him. Wrapping himself in a blood red robe, he walked quickly through the halls to the Throne Room. Servants were tending the flames, and the Fire Throne was empty, still his. The Fire Lord held back the sigh of relief he felt and returned to his chambers. Sleep would not come again to him that day, or that night. For every time he closed his eyes, he saw the red-eyed man. What was worse was that he thought he knew who it was; he just prayed he was wrong.

* * *

Zuko chased them throughout the day, ceaselessly. Appa was wounded, and Aang was exhausted from fending off the fireballs. It was all just too much.

Appa's feet broke the water as he drew lower and lower in the water. Zuko smirked, feeling victory was moments away.

* * *

Shasa gasped in horror. "They're going to kill each other!" Agni threw the flame at the nearest wall and it shattered, the flames fading as their life was cut, and he threw a cloak over Shasa's nightgown.

"Let's go."

Agni and Shasa ran through their palace, out the front hall and down to the water's edge. Shasa was waist-deep in the waves before she realized her husband had stopped at the waters' edge. She turned and looked at him, and he sighed.

"Isn't there another way to get there?"

In response, Shasa let herself merge with the water until her body was translucent, the consistency of the water itself. Agni sighed and slipped into the water. With each step his body became like the water due to the power of the water goddess he loved. Then they both dove forward into the water…as part of it.

* * *

The flying bison made one last huge effort to maintain the skies and burst forth from the water. He actually made a height of about 100 feet before his energy completely gave out and he fell into the sea.

The resulting wave was huge, a combination of the bison's size and the height from which he fell. Zuko's ship was not designed to handle it, and after several precarious moments of hanging at nearly a 50 degree angle, it capsized.

Appa sank beneath the waves, carrying the trio with him. The water was filled with the bison's blood from his earlier wound. Suddenly, the water around them began to gleam blue, but it was not Aang's Avatar spirit. Appa's wound shrank and disappeared, and the bison roared through the water with its new energy. Aang still had hold of the reins and Katara and Sokka still held onto the saddle, so Appa burst out of the water and eagerly headed towards the nearest island.

* * *

Zuko was sinking deeper into the depths, cursing his inability to swim. He could see his men around him as the edges of his vision went blurry…then black as he lost consciousness.

Waves burst around the capsized boat and geysers erupted beneath it, water surging up and pushing the boat until it was right side up. Then geysers pushed the men back onto it.

Gold flashed in the water beneath Zuko, and strong forelegs grasped the prince's fragile body. Golden wings propelled them both upwards and Agni burst from the waves in his true form. As he landed on the ship's bow he transformed back to human form, holding Zuko in his arms.

Iroh ran up when he saw Agni land, but what he saw in the Fire God's eyes was more than just concern for a plan.

A choked sob burst from the Fire God's throat as he fell to his knees. He pressed a hand to the prince's chest, strengthening the inner flame, but still the prince did not breathe.

Iroh felt his heart stop, not only due to the fact that his nephew was not breathing, but at the concern in the Fire God's eyes. Concern he should've but never had seen in his brother's eyes.

Fearful tears ran down heated cheeks as the Fire God desperately looked around. He locked his mouth against the prince's and pushed life-giving air into the boy's lungs, to hold him for moments more. His voice broke when he screamed.

"Shasa, help me!"


	4. Life's Truths

**Chapter 4: Life's Truths**

Shasa had been in the process of checking up on her niece when she heard Agni's cry. She spun around and ran through the waves to him.

A wave burst up onto the deck and there was Shasa, a crimson robe covering what the blue nightgown she still wore didn't. She took in the scene quickly and knelt on the prince's other side. Everyone was silent.

Shasa glanced at Agni.

"Be calm my love." Agni took several deep breaths and nodded.

Shasa placed a hand on Zuko's chest and then slid her hand up towards his throat and then over his open mouth. The water lodged in his lungs followed her hand, but still Zuko did not breathe. Shasa let the water flow over her hands and her hands glowed blue, and the she pressed them to Zuko's chest.

The Fire Prince jerked and gasped as life flowed back into his body. His eyes flashed open then closed and he went limp once more, his chest rising and falling in steady rhythm.

Agni looked lovingly and gratefully at his wife. "Thank you."

She kissed his forehead and was gone, no doubt to Katara.

* * *

Agni lifted the unconscious prince into his strong arms and carried him to the infirmary, closely followed by the doctor. Iroh shouted to the men to continue following the Avatar, and then followed the Fire God himself. 

Placing Zuko on the bed, it took every ounce of his being not to stay with him. But instead, Agni turned, leaving the boy to the doctor, and walked out into the hallway.

* * *

Instantly, he felt someone grab his arm and throw him into a room. He hit a wall before he could react and someone grabbed his shirt collar and pushed him up the wall so his feet were a good foot off the floor, and he stared shocked into the face of Prince Iroh. 

For a brief moment they just stared at each other, Iroh's face contorted in fury and Agni's in blank open-mouthed surprise. Then there was a burst of light and Iroh was forced back several feet. Agni fell back to his feet and stood there nonchalantly, straightening his clothes.

"That was impressive, Prince Iroh. Stupid, but impressive."

Iroh glared at him. "Look, I don't care if you are the Fire God; you are not going to put Zuko's life in danger!"

Agni's eyes flashed. "The only person who put his life in danger today was he himself! If he had listened to me…"

"He's a teenage boy! Since when does he listen to anyone?"

"You'd think he'd listen to his god!"

"Is that all you are to him? Or is he something more to you?"

Agni gaped at Iroh. "I need him to take the Fire Throne!"

"I believe it's more than that. I saw more than concern for the key piece of your plan in your eyes today."

"Am I not allowed to care for the children of my nation, of my element?"

"There's no need to get angry."

"I'm not angry!"

Iroh looked at the Fire God, who blinked and stepped out of his aggressive pose.

"Well, I have a right to protect my nephew, and I want to know what your plan is that includes him."

"I don't have to tell you."

"No you don't, but I'd like you to." Iroh motioned to the pot on the table, his earlier aggressiveness gone. "Tea?"

Agni crossed his arms across his chest, leaned against the wall, and stared off to the side. "I don't want any tea Iroh."

Iroh froze, staring at the Fire God. _There is no way in the nine hells…_But there it was, staring him in the face. Iroh shakily poured himself a cup of tea and sat down to sip it.

"Are you sure Prince Zuko is nothing more to you than a pawn?"

"Yes." Agni spat the word out as soon as Iroh finished speaking, much too soon. Iroh smiled into his tea cup. Agni glared.

"I'm leaving now." And he stalked to the door. With the door half open he turned. "Zuko will marry the Daughter of Nen, and he will be the next Fire Lord."

* * *

Iroh merely took another sip of tea. When he looked up, Agni was gone. The general sat back to evaluate the situation. From the first words, Agni had been on the defensive, had gotten angry despite his own calm words, and finally, had answered his last question much too quickly. Completely ignoring the fact that in the moment when Agni had refused the tea, he had looked _just like Zuko._ Iroh took another sip of tea, and smiled. He was a little closer to figuring things out.

* * *

Agni stayed on the bow of the ship for several minutes. The wind stirred his shoulder-length black hair and it distracted him from his thoughts by falling in his face. As he pushed the rebellious locks back he was unaware of the stares he received from the passing sailors. His thoughts had turned back nearly ten years. _

* * *

She ran through the halls, seeking the balcony where she'd first seen him. Fear drove her and erased all rational thought from her mind. Finally, she reached the balcony, running full force into the stone railing. Gasping she called out to him, to the one who'd sworn he'd protect her. _

"_He suspects! He suspects the truth! Dear Agni, he'll kill me if he finds proof! Agni help me!" _

_She fell to her knees and sobbed, her heart pounding in fear. There was a brilliant flash of gold that hurt even against her closed lids. When it faded and she opened her eyes, the golden dragon was there; his wings beating a steady beat as he hovered just off the balcony. _

"_This place is no longer safe for you Ursa. Come with me." _

"_But Zuko…"_

"…_must stay here for now. Do not fear for him." _

_She nodded and stood on the balcony's railing. Placing a hand on Agni's curved neck, she slipped onto his back. He beat his wings once and they were gone. _

* * *

Though no one ever knew what happened to her, Zuko had grown up believing his mother committed suicide by jumping from the fourth floor balcony. In fact, only Agni knew that Zuko's mother, Ursa, was still alive. 

Agni stood on the railing of the ship and leapt into the air, transforming as he moved. Golden wings beat the late afternoon air as he flew towards Kyoshi Island.

* * *

The gang rolled from Appa's back onto the ground. For a moment they just lay there, and then Aang began to laugh. Soon, Katara and Sokka had joined him. They didn't really know why they were laughing, but it felt good. 

Suddenly, a sound came from the forest near them and when Katara looked up she could see a light bobbing in the darkness. The trio fell silent as the light grew closer and they all feared a fire-bender, but when the light came into the clearing, moments after they all hid in the trees, it was an elderly woman carrying a lantern. She was dressed in a soft white habit and a veil covered her hair and face, save for her eyes. She glanced around.

"Hmph. Could've sworn I saw someone land here."

Aang stepped out from behind a tree. "You did. Sorry, we thought you were a fire-bender." Momo flew down from the treetops to land on Aang's head. The woman chuckled.

"Me, a fire-bender? That's a first I do believe, but I am not a fire-bender. I am the Water Sage Qing-Yuan. I saw the flying bison, assumed the Avatar was here, and came to offer you shelter."

At this Sokka ran out and fell at the woman's feet. "Please tell me you have food!"

"As much as you can eat young warrior."

Sokka jumped at least three feet into the air and whooped. "What are we waiting for?"

Aang grinned. "Only Katara." Katara came out and smiled at the woman, who nodded.

"My sisters and I will be happy to accommodate you and your friends young Avatar. If your bison will fly ahead…" Appa took this moment to burst out of the trees and head towards the north. "…then I will lead you to the temple."

* * *

A little while later, Qing-Yuan had sat down with the young travelers as they ate. The room they were in was intricately carved from white stone, and on the far wall was a huge tapestry showing each of the elements. 

Katara was fascinated by this tapestry, especially since, to her eyes, the white caps of the wave had taken on the form of a woman. Qing-Yuan noticed her stare.

"Do you see a figure dear child?" Katara nodded.

"If I may ask, what figure?"

"A woman, in the wave."

Qing-Yuan turned to look at the tapestry. "You see Shasa, the Water Goddess. That tapestry is believed to be a gift from Alem. A non-bender will look upon it and see only a wave, a flame, a rock, and a column of air, but a bender will see the god or goddess of their element. Only the Avatar can see all four."

Aang stood and walked up to the tapestry. "I can see them." Qing-Yuan nodded.

"Perhaps you'd like to hear a tale of the gods, and how the world as we know it was made."

Aang was delighted and Katara and Sokka were just as intrigued, so the Water Sage began.

"In the beginning, there were no humans in this world, only the elements. In the Spirit World, only Alem, the god of gods, existed. Alem wished for the line between the Spirit World and our world to be a little bit thinner, so he asked each element to create a piece of them-selves to live in the Spirit World. The earth produced Mamoru, the Earth God, and Kaia, his mate. The wind brought forth Makani, the Air Goddess, and Samir, her mate. The seas separated and Shasa and Nen emerged as sisters, though Shasa in the end would be recognized as the Water Goddess. But unlike its peers, fire was proud, and claimed he only needed one to represent himself, and so created Agni, the Fire God."

Qing-Yuan paused in light of her rapt audience before continuing.

"These new gods and goddesses took council with Alem in the Spirit World, and Alem told them of us, and how we would be coming soon. He asked that they make the world ready for us, and he decided that each nation would have an element. It was Kaia that suggested that certain people of each element possess a type of power over that element. All her peers liked and agreed to this, so the benders were formed."

"Mamoru returned to the Aye, or the physical world, in his true form and pushed earth up from the depths of the oceans. Shasa helped him in his work, drawing back the seas, creating lakes and rivers over the land as Agni dried it so it could be worked with. Alem came down and stretched out his hand so that the land became fertile. Trees and grasses grew over the land, and animals came forth."

"All this time, the gods and goddesses had been working by the light of Agni who flew over the lands and seas nearly constantly. But when he left and returned to the Spirit World, Aye became dark. So Alem asked to borrow some of Agni's fire. Agni relented, and Alem kept the fires going in his heaven home. They burned down after several hours, but Alem found he liked the softened light, and so day and night were formed."

"All went well for a time, the people came to Aye, and they loved their new world, and the gods and goddesses were content, save one. Most of the world was water, and fire could not survive in water, so Agni conspired with Mamoru to increase the landmass in the world. When Shasa found out, she was not happy. She and Agni nearly tore the world apart with their resulting battle."

"Several days passed with no end to the fighting in sight, and Alem grew tired of it. To force Agni and Shasa to compromise, he trapped them on a single island together and told them they could not leave until they learned to work together. When Alem went to check on them three months later, they had worked together and compromised. They'd also fallen in love and conceived a son. Their son, Nuri, became the first Fire Lord."

Aang sat there with his jaw dropped. Katara looked at the ground, and Sokka just stared.

"You mean to say that the Fire God and the Water Goddess fell in love? How is that possible?"

Qing-Yuan shrugged. "Anything is possible young warrior."

Katara looked up from her hands. "Sage, what happened to Nen, Shasa's sister?"

"Nen? Well, it seems the Water Sisters have something for unusual marital choices. Nen fell in love with a mortal. Now, it is late, and you must be tired."

To emphasize this, Sokka stood, stretched, and yawned, causing Aang to laugh. The boys traipsed out to their room, but Katara paused a moment before leaving. Qing-Yuan's voice drifted out to her just as she reached the door.

"I know you are the Daughter of Nen."

Katara froze but said nothing.

"You see, I am a water-bender, and I can see Shasa in the tapestry. And she is above the wave, not in it. You can see Nen. Only one of her blood could see her in the tapestry."

Katara said nothing, but walked out, the curtain falling behind her as she left.

* * *

Agni strode through Kyoshi in his human form, the night like a cloak around him, and knocked on a certain door. The woman who answered wore work-worn clothing, her hair was messy, falling down from its haphazard bun, and her hands were rough, but her eyes were happy. She smiled when she saw him. 

"I am pleased to see you my lord. Won't you come in?"

Agni shook his head. "I merely wished to check on you Ursa. I haven't visited you in nearly a year, and a lot can happen in a year."

Ursaheld up her left hand for Agni to see, and the fire light from within the house caught on the gem that sparkled on her left ring finger. Agni smiled.

"Like betrothals." She smiled and stepped out into the night, closing the door behind her. "Who is the lucky young man?"

"An earth-bender, Damek is his name. I…I think he loves me. He's told me so."

"Does he know…"

"Who I am? Who I used to be? That I have a son and daughter? Yes, he knows all of that, and he doesn't care."

"Does he make you happy?"Ursa smiled.

"Yes, nothing makes me happier than to be with him." Agni took her by the shoulders and kissed her forehead.

"Than all is well. Alem only knows how you deserve someone who truly cares for you."

Suddenly, Agni's eyes softened. "You know that I cared for you Ursa, don't you? I don't want you to feel like I used you."

Ursalooked horrified. "Oh, my lord, I could never feel that way. I know you care for me, as you would a child of your element." She looked into his eyes and had barely gazed a moment before she cast her arms around his neck. "Oh, please don't feel remorseful! I can't stand to see you like this!"

Agni sighed, letting her behave as she wished though he disliked the physical contact. She pulled away as she felt him stiffen.

"My lord, you gave me a son. How could I feel anything against you?" She looked at him as he looked away, and then understood.

"You fear Shasa's reaction if she knew."

Agni nodded.

"She will understand, like I do, that you did what you must for your people. She will understand. Perhaps, you would do best to tell her."

"Perhaps." Agni kissed her forehead once more. "Take care Ursa."

She turned, opening the door partially to go inside, and then looked back at him.

"My wedding is two months from tomorrow. I would so like it if my son could attend."

Agni said nothing, andUrsa went inside. The Fire God waited until his legs had carried him out of the Kyoshi before he transformed into his true form.

He flew over the oceans, over the mountains, and over the skies until he reached the palace he shared with Shasa, changing into his human form as he landed.

The Water Goddess was waiting for him, sitting on their bed idly bending. When he came in she rushed into his arms, wearing only a sheer blue nightgown. He pulled her close in a firm embrace, hiding his face in her hair and loving her scent.

She sensed his frustration and held him close.

"What's wrong Agni?"

"I love you Shasa, I love you more than anything else in Aye or our world, but there is something I must tell you."

Shasa tensed.

"Zuko is my son."

Shasa let out an audible sigh of relief and Agni pulled away to look at her. She met his golden gaze with her sapphire eyes. "Is that all you wanted to tell me?"

His eyes narrowed, then widened. "You knew."

"I guessed, but I trusted you to tell me…" She started to go on, but was interrupted by his kiss. They fell down onto the bed together and Shasa pushed the heavy crimson robe from the Fire God's shoulders while he tore at the flimsy material of her gown.

* * *

That night, a huge storm ravaged the land, lightning-induced fires erupted, and rain fell in torrents, but no one was hurt, and the land was renewed when the sun returned.

* * *

zk 

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**I love the new review reply feature, and will reply to as many signed reviews as I can. Also, feel free to personal message (PM) me. Who guessed Agni was Zuko's father? Lemme see a show of hands! **

zk

**NEXT CHAPTER PREVIEW:**

Zuko was unable to sleep, his attempts penetrated by thoughts of this 'Daughter of Nen.' Who was she? Did she know of their union? If you could call it that at least. He sighed, frustrated. Well, he'd ask whoever he met until he found out who the Daughter of Nen was and when he did find out who she was, he'd run as far and as fast as he could in the opposite direction.

In hopes of finding sleep, Zuko decided to take a walk out on the deck. At the bow, he watched the stars for a little while until he started to feel sleep weigh down his lids, and turned to go inside, only to find his way block by an immense golden dragon.

"...Agni..." he breathed.

_"Sleep." _The Fire God commanded, his voice ringing in Zuko's thoughts. Zuko shook as his eyes met the fire red orbs the Fire God possessed, moments before he collapsed senseless to the deck.


	5. The Island of Misu

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Chapter 5: The Island of Misu

Zuko woke from his injured sleep to the concerned face of his uncle.

"What happened, Uncle?" Iroh sighed.

"The ship capsized, and Agni took you from the waves, but you weren't breathing. Shasa revived you, and Agni brought you in here. Then he left."

Zuko stared at the sheets that covered his form, his armor hung up carefully nearby.

"So the encounter before was real." Iroh nodded.

"I think we should stop following the Avatar."

Zuko sat straight up, nearly hitting his uncle in the process.

"We will not stop following the Avatar! I don't care what the Fire God says, I will not give up my only chance at returning home."

Tossing back the sheets, Zuko stood and began putting on his armor. Iroh looked at him.

"Tea Zuko?"

Zuko glanced at him while fastening the plates at his waist. "I don't want any tea Uncle."

Iroh's eyes widened slightly, and he grinned. "As you wish." _(I knew it.)_

Iroh poured himself some tea and then sighed as Zuko walked out, presumably to reassume his place as head of the ship, but who cared? Then his eyes darkened once more. He still didn't know what Agni's plan was, and this frustrated him. Fire God or no, he wouldn't harm his nephew, blood or not.

* * *

Zuko hadn't realized that it was the middle of the night, and his thoughts were now penetrated by this 'Daughter of Nen.' Who was she? Did she know of their union, if you could call it that at least? He sighed, frustrated. Well, he'd ask whoever he met until he found out who the Daughter of Nen was and when he did find out who she was, he'd run as far and as fast as he could in the opposite direction.

Sleep eons away, Zuko decided to take a walk out on the deck. At the bow, he watched the stars for a little while. The moon had always fascinated him, a realm he'd never been able to explore. He stared at it until he started to feelexhaustion weigh down his eyelids, and turned to go inside, only to find his way block by an immense golden dragon.

"...Agni..." he breathed.

_"Sleep." _The Fire God commanded, his voice ringing in Zuko's thoughts. Zuko shook as his eyes met the fire red orbs the Fire God possessed, moments before he collapsed senseless to the deck.

* * *

Katara was standing on a balcony of the Water Temple, looking at the moon when Aang came out and took her hand.

"Take a walk with me Katara?"

She nodded and together they walked down to the shore and sat down on the beach. For a while there was nothing but silence, and then Aang sighed and took Katara's hand.

"I've tried to tell you this for a while Katara but I…I…I really like you…as more than a friend."

Katara was shocked for a moment, and then her whole face brightened.

"Oh Aang, I like you too!"

They shared a very brief kiss, a first for them both, and when they pulled away, something made both of them turn their heads to the ocean.

It was Shasa, in her true form. Her body was an opaque blue, no details or features visible, and she was hovering a few inches above the rolling waves. A strange wind blew her hair and clothes, a wind that touched nothing but her.

Aang leapt up with a yelp, pushing Katara behind him, for he did not recognize the Water Goddess. Katara gently stepped in front of him.

"It's all right Aang, it's just Shasa."

Aang grinned. "Really? Maybe she's come to help me or give me advice on how to defeat the Fire Lord!"

Katara stared at the goddess.

"Perhaps." She whispered.

Shasa reached out her hand to Katara.

"COME TO ME DAUGHTER OF NEN."

Instantly, Katara began to walk out into the waves. Aang cried out and tried to pull her back, but she pushed him away.

"It's just Shasa Aang. She won't hurt me."

Aang turned to Shasa when he could follow Katara no further into the waves. Katara had bended the water around her so that she could keep walking into ever deeper water.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH HER SHASA?"

Shasa said nothing to him, calling ever to Katara. When Katara touched the goddess's hand, she fainted. Shasa gather the water-bender into her arms and Katara took on the same form as Shasa.

Tears ran down the Avatar's face.

"I won't let you hurt her! I'll protect her from you!"

Shasa glared at him. "She is not yours to protect. She does not love you and you do not love her."

Aang glared right back. "She does love me! And I love her more than anything! I won't let you take her from me!"

"YOU HAVE NO CHOICE IN THE MATTER!"

Aang's Avatar spirit activated, and he reached into the sands beneath the waves, and encased Shasa and Katara in earth. The Avatar smirked.

"I will only release you if you promise to give Katara back to me!"

"**FOOLISH BOY!" **

Blue light erupted from the cage of earth and Shasa burst from it, her eyes beginning to glow a deeper shade of blue than the rest of her body.

"The Daughter of Nen belongs to the Son of Agni and no other! You shall not touch her again!"

There was a bright flash of blue light, Aang's Avatar spirit faded, and Shasa and Katara were gone. Aang lay unconscious on the beach.

* * *

It was midnight, and a hooded figure slipped into a dark shop in the Fire Capital City, Sozun. A soft voice was heard from the back of the shop.

"Never thought I'd see you in here, Fire Lord."

The Fire Lord pushed back his hood and walked back into the main shop. He was surrounded by skulls, bubbling cauldrons, and illicit potions. In the center of the room was a strangely beautiful woman who was, drop by drop, adding a green liquid to a black mixture in a gold cauldron.

"What can I do for you?"

"I need something to kill a god." She chuckled, her voice strangely seductive.

"Not satisfied with being Fire Lord, now you must join the immortal."

The Fire Lord was silent, so she continued, her focus never wavering from the mixture before her.

"You shouldn't mess with the spirits Fire Lord."

He grabbed her by the throat and pulled her within an inch of his face. Her calm expression only succeeded in infuriating him more.

"I didn't come here for advice Keilantra!"

She calmly pried his fingers from her throat and stepped away from him, capping the green vial and replacing it on the shelf behind her. Slowly, silently, she pored over the shelves until her hand landed on a black vial, which she took down and walked back towards the cauldron.

The Fire Lord reached for the vile and she slapped his hand.

"Not for you!"

And then she began adding drops of the black liquid to her cauldron. The Fire Lord hissed and Keilantra sighed.

"Come back in a week, same time. I will have something for you then."

The Fire Lord opened his mouth to retort, but knew it was no use to fight with the witch, and so left.

Keilantra looked up after he left, and grinned. She turned and began poring over her vials once more.

"Something to kill a god Fire Lord? All right. I'll give you a weapon that can be used against only a god, isn't that what you want? What you asked for? You always get what you ask for, but this time that will be your undoing. I know of your dreams Fire Lord, but it isn't Agni you need to worry about."

* * *

Morning came, and dawn broke over a small island in the eastern Earth Kingdom waters. Katara turned from the sun to bury her face in her pillow, hiding her face from the bright rays. Then her pillow wrapped an arm around her. Come to think of it, her pillow was unnaturally warm…

Zuko and Katara both screamed and pushed away from each other, falling into battle poses as they regained their footing. Katara gritted her teeth, for the sun had risen, and that meant Zuko was stronger. From the way he was smirking, he knew it too.

"Oh stop it you two."

They both spun to see Agni and Shasa in human form, standing arm in arm. Flames began to lick Zuko's clenched fist and Katara glared at them.

"WHAT IS GOING ON?" They yelled simultaneously, causing Shasa to laugh and Agni to grin. The Fire God turned to meet the angry gaze of the Fire Prince.

"Zuko, meet the Daughter of Nen."

Zuko turned and stared at Katara, open-mouthed. "You? You're the Daughter of Nen?"

It only took one look at Katara's face to know the truth. "Do…Do you know?"

Katara nodded. "Shasa told me."

Zuko spun back around to yell at Agni. "THERE IS NO WAY I'M DOING _THAT_ WITH HER!"

"THAT GOES TRIPLE FOR ME!"

Shasa smiled. "That's very similar to what we said when Alem brought us here." Agni nodded his agreement and turned his gaze to his unknown son.

"This is the island of Misu. You two must work together to survive here, and we will return when we feel you have gained something from learning to work together."

Katara looked shocked. "You can't leave us here!"

"We can and we will."

Then they were gone. Zuko hissed his anger, and the two were left alone.

Katara crossed her arms across her chest and looked at Zuko. The prince looked like he was fuming, but Katara could look in his eyes and tell he was trying to figure things out. He'd already accepted their position, so Katara would have to drop that aspect of her fight.

"So what are we going to do?"

That snapped Zuko out of his trance.

"**We** are going to do nothing. **I** am going to explore the island and then set-up a shelter for **me**. You can do whatever your little heart desires."

And immediately he began to walk off. Katara stared.

"They said we have to work together to get off this island!"

"Not my problem. My uncle will find me soon enough and then I'll be off this god-forsaken spit of land."

"And you'll just leave me here?"

"You mean now or when my uncle gets here or both? Yes to all."

"Oh come on! Nobody's that heartless!"

Zuko didn't even turn around. "I beg to differ."

But he was not thinking of himself when he said that.

"Zuko you can't leave!"

Zuko spun around. "That's _Prince_ Zuko to you and girl, if you continue the way you are, I'll begin to believe you actually **need** my help!"

Katara froze, her mouth working silently in anger, and then she sat down on the sand and refused to look at the damned Fire Prince. When she did look up again, he was gone.


	6. Watch Your Tongue!

**AN:** **I just watched the Southern Air Temple episode and I noticed for the first time that Zuko smiles in it.**

**Zuko: Did you really mean that Uncle?**

**Iroh: Of Course. I told you Ginseng Tea was my favorite.**

**Zuko: (very small smile)**

**They scan out of the scene so quickly you might not have noticed. You have to watch Zuko very closely, but it's there. YEAH!**

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Sorry it took so long to update. You wouldn't have had this tonight if it weren't for the pesterings of a certain...reader...never mind. Enjoy the chapter. Hope it is worth the wait.**

...You know...on second thought... you wouldn't have had it at all if it weren't for that certain reader...so...**

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Chapter 6: Watch Your Tongue

Katara stared at the last place she'd seen the Fire Prince and didn't know whether to be grateful he was gone or upset that she was alone. She'd always hated being alone, but perhaps it was better to be alone than with Zuko. _PRINCE Zuko,_ she corrected herself. Standing up, she walked into the trees to see what she could do to take care of herself.

An hour later, she was overwhelmed. She had nothing sharp with which to cut some of the limbs to make a shelter, there didn't seem to be any caves, and though there was plenty of vegetation, none of it seemed edible. Katara couldn't help herself as she sank to her knees, gritted her teeth, and glared at the ground of the island that seemed so desperate to wrong her. No, she'd make it…and on her own.

* * *

Zuko was smirking within five minutes. This was going to be so easy. He had the knife in his boot as well as his armor and a short saber he happened to be wearing at the time of his abduction, and within the past five minutes he'd seen seven different types of edible plants, six different prey animals' tracks, and enough of the right types of foliage to create a decent shelter. Work together? Ha. He didn't need her help. 

Zuko settled into a survival/predatory mode. He circled the island just to get a feel on his surroundings. When he reached the spot he'd last seen the Water Tribe girl, there were footprints leading into the woods. He snarled as the prospect of meeting her again, and headed off back the way he'd came to set up his own shelter.

There was a series of cliffs and further inland from the cliffs overlooking the sea was a large waterfall which led to a stream. After following the stream, Zuko found a smaller waterfall in a clearing. Deciding this should be his new home, he set off the work. First discarding his armor in the humid and hot air, he took out his knife and saber and began cutting limbs and leaves he could use to make a shelter.

The finished hut was made of leaves, tree limbs, and mud. Zuko had been taught long ago that it was not beauty but whether it served its purpose that mattered. But of course, Azula would have been able to make it pretty_ and_ useful. Stupid wench. After placing his armor in the hut so it wouldn't get dirty or wet, he continued his preparations.

Next, he needed fresh water. The stream wasn't exactly clear but it was clean, and would work. There were also lots of fish. Good food source. He would need some vessels for food and some way to catch the fish, but he could work on that tomorrow, for he'd spent the whole day working on the hut, and now the sun was setting. Curling up inside the hut next to his armor, Zuko found sleep as the sun sank beneath the horizon.

* * *

Katara was perched in a tree as the sun set, exhausted, but she would find no sleep that night. Her fear of the animals' predatory cries around her was coupled with her fear of falling out of the tree. To top it all, around midnight it began to rain.

* * *

As the sun set, Lieutenant Jee stepped out onto the deck and took up the space beside Iroh. 

"I still don't see how he could've just vanished like that. He wouldn't have jumped, couldn't have fallen without making some noise, and his bed didn't even appear to be slept in."

Iroh's face was set, and Jee was talking more to himself than to Iroh.

"Jee, I have an idea, maybe not about where Prince Zuko is, but rather…how he got there, and I request that you go inside."

Jee complied after a moment's hesitation. Iroh turned his face to the now night-darkened waves.

"Agni, may I speak with you?"

There was a flurry of wind from behind him and then Agni was standing beside him in his human form.

"Whatever about my dear prince?"

"I believe you already know."

"About Prince Zuko?"

"Yes, I believe you know where he is."

"Yes, I do, and if I was to tell you, you'd go to him, and ruin my plans."

"Well, now that you have taken him from me…perhaps you can tell me your plans."

Agni sighed. "It's not much of a plan. Shasa and I are just giving fate a head start in truth…and I will ease Zuko's ascension to the throne."

"How precisely? Will you murder my brother?"

Agni sighed again. "Did you know that Ozai and you only share a father? Your mothers were two completely different women."

"I didn't know that, but I'm not surprised. I have a feeling I'm going to learn more."

"Yes you are. Your mother was the Princess of the Night, and the only daughter of Agni and Shasa."

Iroh looked up, his eyes slightly wide.

"So that makes me…your grand-son?"

Agni nodded.

"What happened to my mother? I was told she died, but if she's immortal…"

"She bore you as a favor to me…to restore my blood in the Fire Nation royal line. She could not stand your father for she knew of his lust for war and the hate in his heart, and so she left after you were born, but she didn't go far. She loved you as a mother should, and could not leave you. Your father took another wife, believing my daughter dead, and Ozai was born."

Iroh took all this in wordlessly, understanding clear on his face as he remembered the kind woman he saw often in his childhood, but only at night, and only when he was alone. The night wind had sung lullabies to him when no one else cared, and the stars had shined brighter to still his tears. Strange to think it hadn't only been in his imagination.

"And of Zuko?"

Agni sighed once more. "I thought this time through a bit more, planned a little longer. It would take more than restoring the blood, for in inheriting my blood, you inherited my feelings for the war, but you had to see it."

"You planned for me to take the throne, but I couldn't. I knew they expected me to continue the war, but after my own battles, I couldn't…You were right in saying I brought this on Zuko's shoulder. But Agni, how can you expect Zuko to end the war?"

"Zuko will not end the war…I will."

There was an audible silence before Iroh brought up something that had been troubling him.

"I was there at Zuko's birth, and I held Ursa's hand as she labored to give him life, and with each passing second I begin to believe more the thought I had the last time we conversed. Ozai is not Zuko's father."

Agni was silent so Iroh continued. "I believe you are Zuko's father."

Agni sighed and then nodded. "I am."

Iroh began to chuckle and Agni looked at him incredulously.

"Why do you laugh Iroh?"

"Because that means Zuko is MY uncle!"

Agni stared at him for a moment, and then began to laugh as he nodded, for it was true.

After a few minutes, silence fell once more. Agni smiled as his eyes turned to the moon.

"Iroh…"

Iroh chuckled. "Yes…Grandpa?"

Agni hid his face in his hands and roared with laughter. It was another few minutes before he could speak again.

"Iroh, I wish for you to return to the Fire Nation with this crew. Furthermore, I'd like to accompany you."

Iroh nodded. "Only promise me that Zuko's safety has not been compromised."

"It hasn't."

"All right."

Then Iroh headed to the helmsman to give him the new orders, and Agni followed him, humming softly to himself.

* * *

Morning came swiftly, and Iroh was giving orders to the crew when Agni sauntered onto the deck stretching. Iroh chuckled as the Fire God walked over to him. 

"That's one difference between you and Zuko. I'd never see him wake this late."

"That's because he has nightmares and doesn't sleep that much."

Iroh was silent, why hadn't Zuko told him?

"So…what are we doing today?"

"We're going to stop and restock supplies at Kusho Di."

Agni nodded and smiled. "Sounds fun. And I can get a good look at what Ozai's done to my people."

Iroh nodded. "My lord, I don't think it would be a good idea to tell the people who you are."

Agni was now watching a group of gulls fly past and was barely paying attention to Iroh. "I agree."

"So what should I call you?"

Agni reached out a hand to a low-flying gull and it lit on his hand, pecking his fingers lightly in search of food. The god smiled like a child at play.

"Um…I'll think about it."

Iroh sighed and turned away from the Fire God and looked towards the approaching city.

* * *

Zuko woke that morning dry and hungry, so he set about making his stay on the island a bit better. Using his knife and some reeds he found by the stream, he wove a small basket to set beneath the small waterfall in the stream. The holes in the basket were big enough to let the young fish through but small enough to keep the big ones in. 

As he walked down to the stream to set his trap, you could see the fish swimming through the crystal clear waters. Within an hour, he had several fish trapped.

Cleaning and gutting the fist, he speared them on his saber and roasted them over careful, even flames. Using the iron clad self-control he'd gained in his banishment he waited until the fish were cooked through. He would not risk any sickness, not on this desolate waste.

When Zuko was finished eating, he felt a sort of pride. Yes, he'd spent his entire life having everything handed to him, but now he was truly taking care of himself. It really felt good.

* * *

Katara didn't wake that morning, for she had never slept, and when she crept down from the tree at sun's first light, all she harbored in her heart was anger for Zuko. 

At the temple she hadn't eaten after the Water Sage's comment about her being the 'daughter of Nen.' So that made it about two maybe three straight days since she'd eaten anything worth mentioning. And so starving and exhausted, she made her way to the beach.

Even with her water-bending, it took her a good two hours to get a few decently sized fish from the ocean waves, and then she was too tired to do anything with them. It was only then that she realized she had no way to cook them, having lost her flint at some point, and she would not eat them raw. She wasn't that hungry yet, so she allowed herself to think, escaping the gnawing hunger in her gut.

The main thought in her mind was something she'd heard Shasa say that night when she'd been stolen away.

* * *

"_The Daughter of Nen belongs to the Son of Agni and no other! You shall not touch her again!"_ _

* * *

(But didn't they make it clear I am to be with Zuko? And Zuko is Ozai's son…isn't he? And besides, if he is Agni's son, wouldn't that make him a…a god?) _

Katara fell asleep with this thought in her mind.

* * *

"WHO IS THE SON OF AGNI?" 

The women of the Water Temple cowered before the rage of the Avatar as they must once again protest that they didn't know.

Aang turned from the unhelpful women and went through the scrolls again. He knew that if he found out who the Son of Agni was, he'd find Katara.

A few feet away, Sokka stared at the Avatar. Yes, he wanted to find his sister, but he felt sure that the Water Goddess wouldn't put her in danger.

Aang burst to his feet and stalked over to the older boy.

"Why don't you help me? She's your sister! Help me look!"

"Through scrolls? There's no point! If we're going to look for Katara we need to be out there!"

"And where would we start? We need to know who this Son of Agni bastard is!"

Sokka stared at the boy as the curse slipped from his previously innocent mouth.

"What's gotten into you Aang?"

Aang turned away and gathered a few of the scrolls into their bag and Momo leapt from the shelf to his shoulder.

"It's what Shasa said to me that night. You see…Sokka…I like Katara…as more than a friend. And Shasa took her from me right after I found out she liked me too."

Sokka's fists clenched and unclenched at this unexpected bit of news but he waited for more. Aang sighed.

"And…when I tried to get Katara back from Shasa…she said…she said…"

"What!"

"She said, 'The Daughter of Nen belongs to the Son of Agni and no other.' That's why I have to find out who he is, because Katara will be with him."

Sokka sighed and placed a comforting hand on the Avatar's shoulders. "Just to let you know, falling in love takes time. Katara won't be handing herself to anyone, especially not if she likes you. So breathe…and take your time."

Aang nodded and smiled at him. "Are you mad I didn't tell you?"

Sokka shrugged. "I'm actually surprised I didn't see it. But if you hurt her I'll kill you."

Aang's smile broadened. "No problem."

Sokka laughed. "Besides, better you than someone like…um…Zuko, you know?"

Aang's smile disappeared and his jaw dropped as something clicked in his mind.

* * *

For the first hour docked at Kusho Di, things went smoothly and there was no sign of Zhao, whose control had extended to these docks. In truth, Zhao was the last person Iroh wanted to see. He would have a tough time explaining Zuko's absence should Zhao inspect the ship, and the admiral would no doubt want to know who Agni was, a question for which Iroh did not yet have an answer. 

"Iroh!"

Iroh looked up from the supplies and saw Agni standing at the ship's railing. The Fire God had tied up his hair as Zuko often did and was dressed in crimson and gold, so that when Iroh did look up, he had to perform a double-take before he realized that it was indeed Agni and not his nephew.

"Yes?"

"I'm going to go check on Zuko."

Iroh flinched at the mention of his nephew, spoken so loudly, but nodded.

"All right but please lower your voice."

Agni raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Why?"

"Because these docks are run by Admiral Zhao and if he found out…"

"If I found out what?"

Iroh spun around and Agni's gaze shifted to look at the tall admiral who had just walked up.

"I was just speaking of how upset you would be if you found out Zuko was sick."

Agni didn't react to this statement or contradict it when Zhao's gaze fell on him.

"Fire-benders don't get sick. And who are you?"

Agni's eyes narrowed but his voice was emotionless. "I assure you that they do Admiral Zhao, and I am the Ryu-Kin."

Iroh inwardly smiled but Zhao frowned.

"Well, I sincerely doubt that Zuko is sick so he must be hiding from me."

Agni turned and was down the ship's ramp and on the dock before Iroh could comprehend what had happened. Stopping a bare foot away from Zhao, every word from Agni's mouth was laced with malice previously not existent.

"Watch your tongue or lose it!"

Zhao met his gaze in a challenge.

"I speak nothing but the truth.The brat has finally decided to wise up and be afraid of me."

Agni hissed. "How dare you speak of your prince in such a way?"

Zhao's voice rose in volume and those around stopped and stared. "He is not my prince and never shall be! A worthless disgrace to the Fire Nation, that's all he is!"

"You are a traitor to speak in such a way!"

Iroh was rooted to the spot in pure fear at the growing confrontation. Both men were leaning in towards each other, hands clenched at their sides, anger radiating from them. Flames licked around Agni's fists as Zhao growled in barely controlled fury.

"He is the traitor! A traitor to his country and his class! Siding with peasants! His own father doesn't even want him!"

"THAT'S A LIE!"

Agni lunged at Zhao and was only stopped by Iroh. The poor retired general's strength was put to the test as the Fire God struggled to reach the Admiral.

Agni's voice softened but still held enough venom to put all those present on edge.

"I ought to kill you, dishonored huo. **You **are the disgrace to the Fire Nation. I myself am _ashamed_ to call you a son of fire!"

A vein twitched in Zhao's face as he ground his teeth in an effort not to murder the arrogant Ryu-Kin on the spot.

"Agni Kai, at sunset. And I will kill you Ryu-Kin."

Zhao turned on his heel and walked off, flanked by a few of his soldiers who would help him prepare for the Agni Kai.

Iroh was able to release Agni and they both straightened. Angry and frustrated, Iroh turned to the Fire God.

"Do you realize what you've done? If you beat him…"

"And I will, inevitably."

"The entire city knows! Soon my brother will know you exist!"

Agni looked at him. "Am I to fear Ozai? No. This…Zhao…is only an obstacle, one that will help me achieve my true goal."

Iroh sighed worriedly but Agni grinned.

"Let my game begin."

* * *

**zk**

**zk**

**So...was it worth the wait?**


	7. Agni's Kai

**AN: This chapter was a lot of fun, and I got it done it record time. Thank two of my teachers who disappeared for a day and the substitutes who let me go the library and work on this chapter! 

* * *

**

EDIT: The Tigress versus Zuko and Katara has been revised from the first update.

* * *

Chapter 7: Agni's Kai

Deep in the woods of the Earth Kingdom, a young woman crept down to a secluded pond. The water was clean and clear, marked by a waterfall and stream. The woman let her pale blue robe slide to the ground, revealing her perfectly bare body. Naked, she slipped into the water.

The water curved around her as it came up to her chest. She dove cleanly into the deeper water and when she surfaced, the water ran slick down her waist-length dark brown hair. Crystalline drops held to her full breasts and some left glistening trails down past her navel. A heavy dark sapphire hung from a chain decorated by pearls around her neck.

She swam through the pond with ease for a little while, merely enjoying the feel of the water around her before a throat cleared behind her drove the serenity from the scene.

A man knelt near her clothes, a strange look on his face as he held up her robe and slowly slit it down the seams, cutting it into useless pieces of cloth. She hunched into the water, covering herself as best she could as a whimper slipped from her pouting lips. She had none of the bravery or strength of her older sister, and she was frightened.

The man stood and smirked at her. "You picked the wrong end of the woods to bathe in princess."

He then stepped into the water and began walking towards her.

Suddenly, her fear vanished and her strength returned. Memories of the battles her sister had fought fueled her as she brought wave after wave of water from the pond and flung them at the man.

He cried out when the vicious waves blasted into him, forcing him back onto the land. The man glared daggers at her while he pulled a crossbow from the quiver on his back. But, in the ground beneath his feet, something stirred.

Green light began to glow beneath his boots and traveled up until he was consumed in it. He screamed once and then his body became as the earth, a statue as it were.

Another man stepped from the woods near the waterfall. He was dressed in flowing green and fawn robes, his long brown hair tied at his nape and draped down to his waist, and his brilliant green eyes flashed with anger.

"And you picked the wrong day to attempt rape."

The woman in the pond stood in the water, the cool liquid pooling around her waist, anger reflected in her stance. At long last she turned to look at the man and recognition widened her eyes.

"Mamoru?"

He turned and looked at her. His eyes narrowed then widened as he in turn recognized her.

"Nen?"

Mamoru, the Earth God, stepped quickly down and into the water, taking off his green outer robe as he walked. He draped it over her shoulders and Nen clutched it closed while smiling sheepishly at the Earth God.

"Nen, do you realize how long I've been looking for you? Do you realize how much stress you've created and how much pain you caused your sister?"

Anger flashed in the woman's sapphire eyes. "No more than she caused me when she eloped with that fire bastard."

He sighed and placed an arm around her now shaking shoulders. "Let's get you to Alem."

* * *

Iroh stood in the training courtyard, watching as Agni did some basic bending exercises. It was strange how Agni could make the simple movements seem almost as a dance. A few women nearby had actually stopped to watch him; they were entranced by the Fire God's movements. 

Loose once more, his shoulder-length black hair floated around him as he spun in mid-air, flurries of flames circling around him. Well-toned muscles moved fluidly beneath the crimson tunic he wore, bare feet finding unquestionable purchase as he launched himself once more into the air.

One of the women leaned in to her companion. "Should he be working so hard just before his Agni Kai?"

The elder woman smirked. "Admiral Zhao will easily defeat this amateur. But he does have excellent physique."

The first woman nodded and the two moved on, Agni still oblivious to them both. Iroh took a sip of tea as Agni finished his exercise and sat down cross-legged in the middle of the arena, his head tilted up at Iroh as the retired general took another sip of tea.

"Tell me more about this Zhao, Iroh."

Iroh sighed. "I've told you everything there is to know. But let me remind you once again that you must defeat him in a way that does not scream to everyone who you are."

Agni lay down against the cool ground and stared at the immense sky. "I understand Iroh. It's not hard and I'm not stupid."

"And you must…above all things…you must tell me where Zuko is."

Agni laughed. "No. Iroh, I know when you're going to ask me. Stop trying. That has to be the fifth time this hour."

He stood and began to dance. Before, his movements had enhanced the flames but now the situation was reversed. The flames danced around him and he knew just how to sharpen them to bring attention to a certain stance. Before it had seemed like a dance, now it was truly beyond comparison. More than women stopped in admiration now.

Agni's eyes were closed as he danced to imaginary music. In his mind, the courtyard, the people, the tents and buildings all disappeared, and he moved back to a time when no human had yet set foot on the land they'd created, and all the elements danced with their gods, the line between Spirit World and Aye completely invisible.

Then humans had arrived with their frustration towards abstract thought. They saw gods as something to worship, not to mingle with. They needed a higher power to look to.

Agni let his face turn upwards as he danced within the flames, his heart going into every breath the fire around him took. Things hadn't quite gone as Alem had planned, but everything had worked out for a while. He thought of the Fire Nation, of his people. Did they realize the shame they had brought on him? Of how the other gods turned away from him in anger? How much pain he felt when he saw the devastation they wreaked with the gift he'd given them?

His thoughts had clearly turned from the elaborate dance he performed, and suddenly his feet became tangled.

Jee stepped out into the courtyard beside Iroh just as Agni lost his balance and fell to the ground. For a moment the dazed god just sat there, and then he began to laugh. The courtyard filled with his loud reckless laughter, and Iroh couldn't help but shake his head. Jee was the only other person who knew who the Ryu-Kin truly was, and so Iroh felt he could talk to him.

"It's strange Lieutenant. One minute he's acting like the powerful god he is, the next minute he's acting like a two-year old."

Before them, Agni yelled as he spotted a stray cat chasing butterflies.

"Cat!"

The god ran over and scooped up the tiger cat and immediately began rubbing its head. Jee smiled.

"It's not that strange, sir. Fire can be angry and destructive, but also playful. Fire destroys, but makes way for the new growth to come after. And Agni is an impersonation of fire itself, is he not?"

Iroh nodded and took another sip of tea. "I just wish he would listen to me and try to understand the predicament we are in. He's like a child at play and doesn't realize the consequences of his actions."

"Is it really that bad, General Iroh? Yes, if he beats Zhao then the message will go all the way to Fire Lord Ozai himself, but does he not know that? Maybe he wants it to happen."

Iroh sighed. "I don't understand what he is planning, and I feel somehow that things aren't going quite as he planned."

Jee was silent and they both watched the Fire God as he sat in the courtyard and played with the cat that had taken an immediate liking to him. Iroh was remembering the day after Zuko and he had first met Agni, when Zuko had decided to let his hair re-grow, denying the mark of his banishment. It was as if he'd already accepted Agni's help.

A messenger stepped into the courtyard as the sun set.

"My lords, it is time."

Iroh nodded and called to Agni, who stood with the cat in his arms and followed Jee and Iroh back into the tent.

Agni's Kai was about to begin.

* * *

A roar resounded through the air and Zuko burst from sleep, on his feet in a crouched position moments after he was woken. Human thought had long since abandoned his mind, and he thought as a predator, using more sound and scent to determine the position of his foe. 

It had been nearly a month after he'd denied having his head re-shaved, making it nearly two months since it had been, and his hair had always grown fast. Even now, the makings of dark bangs fell over his golden eyes and wisps of hair tickled the tips of his ears. His worn red hair band held the rest of his hair up, but it was fading, like the rest of his worn clothes.

A scream penetrated the silence moments after the roar and Zuko was on his feet and running towards wherever the sound had come from. Time was on the essence in this type of situation. He knew the sound of the predator on the hunt, and he wanted to be there for the kill. Always easier to steal than to kill yourself.

Katara threw water whip after whip at the advancing tigress, eachbending move exhausting what little strength she had left,but the cat kept coming. It wanted her stockpile of fish, but she was not going to give up her hours of work. She'd already made up her mind when she started fishing again. Zuko may be stubborn but she wasn't. Even if he didn't want to, she'd make him work with her so they could get off this island. She'd use her freshly caught fish as an offering to him, to show him that she could help him as much as he could help her.

They had to work together; they just had to. And this tigress wasn't going to interfere.

She stepped back into the waves, drawing on her memory that cats hated water. But this tigress was not phased by the waves and followed her, now seeing her as a prime target for its young cub. The tigress had tasted human flesh before, and knew of its delicacy.

Zuko froze just before stepping onto the beach to take in the situation. His eyes widened slightly as his gaze fell on the girl.

_The Water Tribe girl!_

_**The tiger's prey.**_

_She needs help!_

_**She can take care of herself. **_

_I can't let her die!_

_**Yes, I can and then steal her flesh from the tigress. **_

The tigress crouched down in the low waves and prepared to pounce. Katara's mind flew as she sought a way to protect herself. But there was no time left as the tigress launched itself into the air. Katara braced herself for the attack but it never came, for in mid-leap the tigress was struck by another attacking predator.

Both rolled over the sand until the momentum had passed. One landed on his feet, the other on her side, but both eyed each other in anger.

Katara gasped as she barely recognized Zuko. The tigress had torn the band from his hair and it now fell about his face and shoulders. He slowly drew a dagger from the sheath on his hip. The tigress roared at him, sensing another predator rather than another human.

Eye to eye, predator faced predator, on the beach of the Island of Misu. Zuko tensed, as the beast and he began to circle each other. He thought of using fire, but if he got too careless with his flames he could hit the girl. Also, setting the tigress on fire would cause her to panic, increasing the danger hundredfold. He gritted his teeth. He'd have to do this without fire.

* * *

Golden eyes finally embraced the anger that had fueled the challenge made earlier. Iroh and Jee did not speak as Agni shed his clothes for the traditional Agni Kai outfit Iroh presented. For all that Agni had appeared before, he was nothing short of a god as he drew on the pants offered and tied them off above his ankles.

Jee moved the place the sash around the god's shoulders but gasped and dropped it before he could do so. Iroh spun around behind Agni and hissed in anger.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?"

For across Agni's back was the image of a dragon, and once Iroh touched its brilliant gold scales he knew they were real. Red eyes flashed at him and the wings of the dragon extending over the god's shoulders.

"It's what allows me to change between my human and true forms. I can't get rid of it. Besides, no one needs to know that it is real."

Iroh nodded and drew up the sash from the floor, placing it over Agni's shoulders.

"It can't be helped."

Agni placed the cat in Jee's arms. "Besides, I am the Golden Dragon."

* * *

Zhao listened to his servant's information as he was dressed for the Agni Kai. 

"You can defeat him my lord. Instead of meditating, the fool must already be tired from the show he delivered this afternoon in the southern courtyard. And you must punish him. It is blasphemous for him to call himself the Golden Dragon, after Agni himself."

Zhao nodded, a sick smirk creeping onto his face and turned into the Agni Kai arena. No one blinked as he emerged and knelt with his back to his opponent's door. This was all customary.

Agni entered the arena, and knelt in the same fashion. Zhao turned his head at the whispers that now stole around the arena.

A woman, with her face hidden by a hood, moved forward to see well. Zhao she knew, but this Ryu-Kin drew her interest. She had seen the man in the courtyard, and knew he should be tired, but he didn't appear so. Anger reflected in otherwise pleasant features, her gaze, as many of those around her, was drawn the golden dragon on his back, now clearly displayed to those watching.

She smiled with recognition clear in her eyes, eyes as black as the night sky.

They both rose at the sound of the gong and turned, sashes falling to the floor, rage apparent in both men's stances.

Zhao moved first, sending two consecutive fireballs at Agni, who dodged them easily.

* * *

The tigress roared as Zuko lunged forward. She moved forward to meet him and both predators tasted blood as Zuko drew his dagger across her shoulder and she dug her claws into his arm. They broke away from each other, pain as well as anger now visible.

* * *

Agni sent a wave of fire at the Admiral who nearly fell to the floor to avoid it. Torchlight reflected off the dragon and gave the Ryu-Kin an ethereal look. People who'd earlier thought they knew without a doubt the outcome of this Kai now revised their opinions. 

The Admiral sent flames across the ground, remembering his own duel with Zuko, but Agni was one step ahead. He fired simultaneous fire blasts, one from each hand, at the ground, the force of which sent him flying into the air.

Gasps radiated around the arena as Agni landed, and even Zhao looked awed.

* * *

The tigress pounced, forcing Zuko to the ground. He dropped his dagger in an attempt to keep the tigress' mouth from closing over his head. Her head thrashed about, the tips of her fangs grazing his face repeatedly. He thought he heard someone call his name, but did not focus in on it. 

Katara saw that Zuko did not respond when she called him, and had to do something. She turned back to the waves; drawing up a wave larger than ever she had done before. Turning, she drew the whole wave into a concentrated stream and aimed it at the tigress.

The tigress was forced from its position over Zuko by the high-powered jet of water and flung into a nearby tree. It sank to the ground. Katara tried to freeze it to the tree but the water would not obey her. She simply didn't have the strength.

Zuko got to his feet, blood flowing thinly from scratches across his face. Blood also flowed from a bite mark on his forearm where he'd blocked the tigress' attacks. Katara called to him from her place by the water.

"Shouldn't we run while she's down?"

He didn't take his eyes off the recovering tigress. "If you think you can outrun an angry tigress then be my guest. Start running. Or you could stay here and help me protect you."

Katara stared at him, open-mouthed, before she closed her mouth and nodded, her eyes narrowing towards the tiger as she raised her hands, prepared to bend.

The tigress got to her feet and growled angrily. Zuko and Katara tensed.

* * *

Agni growled in anger as Zhao finally stopped as well. Both men showed signs of fatigue, sweat rolling across their skin, products of the relentless onslaught of attacks and counterattacks. 

Iroh stood behind them, his fists clenched in anticipation of the duel. Something had to happen to tip the tides and soon. But he must say, Agni had done an excellent job of not displaying his powers.

Agni smiled through the sweat dripping into his eyes. "Time to show you who you are dealing with."

Zhao gritted his teeth as Agni straightened and flung up his arms.

A firewall appeared around the arena, blocking it from view. Iroh gave a soft cry that was drowned out by loud cries from the crowd. Agni clearly didn't want them to see what happened next.

Zhao glanced around at the firewall before returning his gaze to Agni, expecting the worst, expecting anything at all, but it never came. Agni stood there nonchalantly before finally extending his hand towards Zhao.

The admiral felt a severe pain in his gut, which intensified as Agni stepped closer. He doubled over, gasping for breath as his body temperature soared beyond normal for even a fire-bender.

"You see, Zhao, fire-benders can get sick. It's rare, but they most certainly can."

A wave of nausea passed over Zhao, who fell to all fours as his body rejected something within him. Agni knelt beside him, a hand on the admiral's shoulder.

"No, you've got it backwards Zhao. Your body isn't rejecting something, it is rejecting you. The worst sickness a fire-bender can endure, when his or her inner fire rejects them. That's what's happening to you Zhao."

Fear replaced anger in Zhao's eyes as his body retched and a thick liquid forced itself from his mouth. It was clear, but almost syrupy, and when it touched the ground it ignited.

Agni's face showed no expression.

"You see, Zhao, your inner fire is a reflection of the _god who gave it to you._ Your inner fire now hates you, will fight you every moment you seek to use it. Why?"

Agni leaned down until his mouth was less than an inch from Zhao's ear.

"_It's because I hate you. Your inner fire is a reflection of me._"

The pain subsided, and Zhao looked up, pure fear now written all across his face.

"Agni…"

The Fire God smirked. "Indeed. But you will not remember my name once you leave this arena."

He raised one hand, two fingers pointed forward. He drew the two fingers in a straight line across Zhao's forehead from temple to temple, then a line from his hairline to the bridge of his nose.

Zhao gasped when Agni grabbed him by the throat and drew him up, his feet dangling several inches above the ground. Flames formed around the god's fist as he drew back and then hit the admiral square on the sternum.

The wind was knocked from his body as Zhao flew backwards from the force of the blow. He flew out of the firewall and landed hard against the wall of the arena before he slid to the ground, unconscious.

As his servants moved forward to see if he was all right, the first thing they noticed was the scar on his forehead, an exact replica of the dragon on Agni's back.

The firewall faded and Agni stood in the center, looking simply at Zhao like a victorious fighter. He was cheered, and no one was any to the wiser of who he truly was. Iroh escorted him back to the ship, and they were gone before sunrise the next day.

* * *

When Zhao awoke the next morning, he remembered the fight, but not who he had fought. The only thing that remained was an impenetrable fear to fire-bend.

* * *

The tigress leapt at the two teenagers, and Zuko sent an arc of flame at the beast. She yowled in pain and anger as she spun in mid-air to avoid the fire-bender. Zuko had also taken the moment to run forward and slice another wound into her powerful shoulders. 

Katara distracted the tigress with a water whip, but before Zuko could react the tigress shook off the water and sprang at him. He barely got out of the way of her main blow, but her sharp claws took his shoulder deeply.

The tigress pounced at him again, but Zuko fell to the ground at the last moment, He reached up as the tigress soared over his head and cut the tendon on her right fore-leg. But in doing so, he put himself in a compromising position. Even with only three legs, the tigress was an imposing foe and she sensed a kill from where Zuko lay unguarded on the sand.

The tigress turned and lunged at Zuko's unprotected head when she was caught off guard by a powerful stream of water. She shook her head and roared at the female near the water and turned back towards the fire-bender, but he'd taken advantage of the moment.

Katara saw Zuko scramble to his feet but never expected what came next. Zuko took the dagger, now soaked in the tigress' blood and buried it the cat's skull. Spasms went off in the tigress' brain that sent her body flying into the air in its final death throes. Several times the beast flung itself about before becoming still, blood pooling around its head as it lay there on the sand…dead.

Zuko smirked at the beast as he walked over and pulled his dagger out. A handful of sand cleaned the blade and he sheathed it once more. The beast was magnificent, and it would be a waste of meat and fur to leave it there. But Katara, who'd just walked up beside him, was looking at something else.

Blood was staining his grey uniform, spreading from his shoulder and chest wounds, and blood dripped from his right hand.

The adrenaline drained from Zuko's body, and he shook his head to clear a sudden dizziness. He barely registered the fact that he'd lost too much blood and someone calling his name before he surrendered to sweet black unconsciousness.

* * *

**zk**

**Finally, a good action scene...or two. **


	8. How Could This Happen?

**AN: I have great plans for this story, and this story is going to be much bigger than I planned. I'm thinking about changing the title due to this change of plans. I'm thinking about calling it The Son Of Agni. You'll probabaly understand later. This story is going to be so much more than just another Zutara. I'm going to do my best to make this my best story yet. Even better than Brotherly Love for those of you who've read it. God, I can't stop thinking about this story. I need sleep, it's near midnight here. I must go. **

* * *

"_I can't stand the pain…__And I can't make it go away..._

_How could this happen to me?__I made my mistakes _

_Got nowhere to run...__The night goes on...__As I'm fading away_

_I'm sick of this life...__I just wanna scream_

_How could this happen to me?"_

_Simple Plan, Untitled_

**Chapter 8: How Could This Happen?**

Katara knelt beside Zuko in the sand, her own adrenaline long gone and the gnawing hunger and exhaustion returned. She shook him gently.

"Zuko?"

When he didn't respond, her already frayed nerves gave way and hot tears ran down her face. She rolled him over onto his back as she cried, determined still to do what must be done. Katara bit her lip and peeled off the prince's blood-soaked shirt and threw it onto the sand. Inspecting the gashes left by the tigress, her despair deepened at their severity.

She turned and looked at the waves, their gift of life at her fingertips. If only she had the strength to bend, but she knew she didn't. A sob broke through her lips. She couldn't get him back to wherever his camp was, she couldn't heal his wounds; she couldn't even stop the bleeding.

Suddenly, she just stopped caring about herself. She looked at his face, so peaceful in his unwilled slumber. Now that she thought back, he'd never looked this peaceful, not even when he'd been unconscious at the North Pole. Then it had seemed as if the same frustration that plagued him daily was still there in his subconscious, now it was gone.

She gritted her teeth. Even if it killed her, she'd heal his wounds.

"Shasa help me!" She cried as she bended the water to her and around her hands until the blue ethereal light shone about them. Carefully, she pressed her hands to each of Zuko's wounds in turn. A strange power filled her as she did so, keeping her hands steady until the process was complete.

The last of her strength gone, Katara collapsed; her body strewn unconscious over Zuko's still prone form.

* * *

Iroh, Agni, and the crew sailed into Earth Kingdom waters the morning after Agni's Kai. Agni was in a thoughtful mood and hadn't said more than three words since waking. He was dressed in black pants and a loose crimson tunic. The wind pulled at his loose hair, which was held back by a gold circlet, and gold bands encircled his wrists. The sun reflected off a ruby embedded in a gold ring on his right middle finger.

Iroh was watching the Fire God as he watched the world pass by. He was thinking about how playful the god was and was forming his own opinion about him. In the Spirit World, Agni couldn't directly affect anything in Aye, but here, he could. He could touch everything and see the world in a completely new light.

Iroh didn't resent the god anymore for his childish behavior. He felt almost sympathetic for Agni. Suddenly, a playful look came into Agni's eyes and he spun to face the retired general.

"Isn't Anrik nearby?"

Iroh couldn't help but be excited by the mention of the most prestigious Earth Kingdom market. He took one look at the god's eyes and smiled.

"Helmsman, change course, head for Anrik."

* * *

Katara woke slowly as the sunlight filtered in from the opening in the hut. As she slowly sat up, she couldn't quite believe where she was, lying on the floor of a crudely built but functional mud hut. But she didn't take long to wonder about her setting for the subtle scent of cooking fish wafted to her from outside.

As she stepped into the sunlight, Katara wondered how long she'd been unconscious. She barely remembered someone talking to her, carrying her, holding her head up.

_Here, drink this. You'll feel better. _

But that couldn't have been Zuko. Zuko hated her, and now as she looked around the clearing, he wasn't there. There were the remnants of a fire, now nothing but coals, sitting beneath what looked like half a gourd.

"You're awake."

Katara turned around to see Zuko standing at the edge of the clearing. He was shirtless and carrying something she couldn't see on his back. He walked towards and past her, to the fire. She saw now that the package on his back was something wrapped in the tigress' skin.

Zuko knelt by the fire and let the skin fall to the ground beside him. He'd deal with it in a moment. He saw the girl sit down next to him out of the corner of his eye as he stirred the coals and sighed angrily. Why'd he take the girl in again?

"Did you just wake?"

She nodded. He took the gourd off the fire and took up the crudely carved spoon he'd fashioned from the stem of the gourd.

"Here. Eat. You'll need your strength."

She did so without hesitation, and he went to work with the skin, hauling it back to the stream. He could feel her watching him, and he didn't care. Cutting the plant fibers that held the skin together, he peeled it back to reveal the carefully cut pieces of meat he gleaned from the tigress' body.

Zuko heard her gasp behind him and looked up. She met his gaze.

"Is that from the tigress?"

He nodded, and she bit her lip. Growling angrily, he straightened up aggressively.

"Girl, we're on an island. Meat is scarce. It would be a crime against nature for us just to leave this. It's just as good as anything else you might have eaten before."

She looked at him for a moment, and then nodded. Zuko continued with what he was doing, which was storing the meat in a niche behind the waterfall, which would keep it fresh and cool.

"Katara."

He turned around and looked at her, noticing that she still hadn't touched the broth he'd tediously cooked for her.

"What?"

"My name is Katara, not girl."

_Katara…it's nice._

"And please tell me how that makes a difference."

She placed the gourd on the ground next to her and crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, if you want me to call you Prince Zuko, you have to call me by my name. Not girl or peasant or anything like that. My name is Katara."

For a moment, Zuko just glared at her, fighting hard to keep his hands at his side from forming fists. Several times he clenched and unclenched them in contemplation.

He let out a deep breath and Katara didn't miss the thin trail of smoke that left his nostrils. Turning back to what he was doing, she also didn't miss the ill-disguised frustration in his voice.

"Fine…_Katara._ Now eat."

It was out before she could stop it. "Why? Did you poison it and now you're eager for me to die?"

His back stiffened and he swiftly stood and marched over to her. Grabbing the front of her tunic he drew here up to his eyes' level, which meant her toes were barely brushing the ground. She grabbed onto his clenched fists desperately, fear creeping into her gaze.

"You stupid girl, you dare to impugn me? Even if I wanted you dead, I wouldn't stoop to cowardly poisoning your food! I'd kill you in a battle, with honor, something you no doubt know nothing of! I want you to eat so you can regain your strength and stop relying on me! Is that so hard of a conclusion to come to?"

He released her and she stepped back away from him, knowing her mistake but refusing to admit it. Their eyes met, and she refused to look away. In fact, he looked away first.

"That…and I worked hard to fix that for you."

After stating this, Zuko promptly turned and disappeared into the woods. Katara quickly followed him after grabbing the gourd and spoon.

"Z…Prince Zuko!"

He turned around.

"Where are you going?"

"To burn the rest of the tigress."

"I'll go with you." His eyes narrowed.

"You need to eat."

She held up the gourd, but he remained suspicious.

"Why?"

Katara sighed. "I just don't want to be alone, ok?"

He shrugged and continued walking, Katara at his side.

* * *

Aang and Sokka stopped at an island marketplace to stock up on supplies. Aang was still depressed and determined to find Katara. He'd flown Appa all the previous day and most of the night until Sokka made him go to sleep and had let the poor bison rest. Even now, Aang was desperate to continue.

"Sokka, can't you pick out apples any faster?"

Sokka sighed, taking his time on purpose. "Have patience Aang."

"Patience? Patience! Zuko could be hurting her!"

"We don't know if Katara is with Zuko. I don't know how you came to that conclusion."

"Look, even if he isn't the Son of Agni, he'll know who is! That's why we have to find him!"

Sokka snorted as he paid the woman for their food. "What are we going to do Aang? Land on the deck of his warship and just ask who the Son of Agni is? He'll have you in chains in less than seconds."

Aang glared at the back of the boy's head before turning away and lifting his staff.

"I'm going to fly over and see if I can spot anything from the air."

"Make sure you don't get spotted while you're trying to spot something."

Aang made a derisive sound before tossing his glider forward and leaping on. He disappeared over the trees and Sokka kept on shopping. Gods above, he missed Katara and the way she could handle the stupid twelve-year old.

The air-bender glided over the woods, saddened by the absence of his friend. He'd always thought he'd loved her; maybe perhaps Shasa had been right. Was there something more to this world that he didn't yet understand? Was he still too young to comprehend?

A sound somewhere in between a scream and a laugh came from below, causing Aang to dive into the woods below.

Fire Nation soldiers cornered the young girl against a tree. She was dressed in an outfit that was tailored as the Air Nomads but was colored in a mixture of greens. Even as they advanced against her, she smiled, so young in her innocence.

Aang landed in front of the young girl, glaring down the Fire Nation soldiers. Finally, there was some way to release the pent-up frustration building within him. He quickly dispatched the Fire Nation soldiers and those not incapacitated ran for their ship, fleeing the wrath of the Avatar.

At long last, he turned to face the young girl who walked fearlessly up to him and smiled.

"Thanks. That was fun. You're an air-bender so you must be the Avatar. I can bend earth and air, just like my parents. But they're busy all the time plotting against the yellow dragon which I think is wrong because the yellow dragon is such a nice person. Well, they told me to go and play here so I came here and can I play with you?"

Aang stared at her with wide eyes, but she just smiled.

"Yes, I'm the Avatar. You can bend both earth and air?"

She nodded. "Mommy and Daddy control the elements, so it makes sense that I can too!" She laughed at this announcement and rocked back on her bare heels.

"So, can I play with you?"

Aang couldn't help but smile. "Why don't you come with me and Sokka to Omashu? I have to learn earth-bending."

She laughed again. "That sounds like fun! I've never been to Omashu before! My name is Kioko and it means 'meets the world with happiness.' At least I think it does. I'm eleven years old."

Aang opened his glider. "I'm Aang. Grab on, and we'll fly back to the village."

Laughing, Kioko wrapped her arms around his waist and added her own bending to his as they launched into the air. Aang hoped Sokka wouldn't mind, but he couldn't have let the girl stay out there by herself with the Fire Nation around.

Could he?

* * *

The Fire Nation warship weighed anchor a little ways away from the Earth Kingdom market so as not to frighten the residents. A couple of fire-benders they'd allow. For them to permit a shipload was highly unlikely. So Agni and Iroh went alone.

At the gate, the two were stopped by a grizzled soldier who addressed Iroh…considering Agni was a little preoccupied.

"Such quaint building techniques, is everything made from some type of earth? I'll have to ask Mamoru next time I see him."

Both Iroh and the soldier looked at the god strangely before returning to their conversation.

"What's yer business here, fire-bender?"

Iroh smiled gently. "My nephew and I came to do some shopping."

"So? You and yer nephew could be plantin' blastin' jelly in my market 'ere, and that I can'st allow."

Leaning forward, Iroh carefully whispered to the soldier. "Sir, my nephew isn't quite right in the head. The healers say he doesn't have too long to live and all his life he's wanted to see the great market of Anrik."

The soldier wiped innocuous tears from his eyes. "You two go right on in. Just don't lemme hear about you getting' inta any trouble."

Iroh nodded and luckily Agni had heard most of his conversation and so grabbed his arm.

"Come on uncle! We have so much to see!"

And even once they were inside, Agni didn't get much better. He flitted from stand to stand with as much fervor as the retired general himself, and the merchants were happy to help them.

"Uncle! Look at this!"

"No, you come here and look at this!"

"That's handsome! It would look great with that monkey thing you have in the galley!"

"Come! Let's see if they have some woodwinds!"

"…Woodwinds? Alem help us, NO!"

"Come now, my lord, we need some woodwinds!"

"No we don't. Oh, look at that!"

Agni rather desperately pulled out of Iroh's reach but didn't need to fake seeing an interesting item for something had caught his eye across the marketplace.

He stopped at the stand, the young girl sitting behind the counter eyes him thoughtfully as he swept the golden cape into the air. She smiled at the awed look in his eyes.

"The cape is threaded and crafted to look like dragon scales, my lord."

Agni twirled the cape around his shoulders and let it fall into place around him.

"Iroh! Look, little red dragons on the collar!"

The girl smiled as her work was admired. Iroh came up and smiled at the Fire God. She took a small gold dragon clasp with a thin chain on each side and stood, walking over to Agni.

"Here."

She fastened each chain to each side of the cape's collar and then fastened the dragon itself to Agni's crimson tunic, and the god laughed, spinning so the cape flared out behind him.

"I love it! How much miss?"

She blushed slightly. "15 silver pieces or…2 gold?"

"Only 2? It's worth at least 4!"

But Agni placed five gold pieces in the young girl's hand.

"Sir, you gave me five!"

"No I didn't, I gave you four." And Agni smiled at her so she knew it was all right. She blushed crimson.

"It's wonderful to meet someone nice from the Fire Nation."

The smile faded from Agni's face. "Did you have a run-in with the Fire Nation?"

She nodded. "They burned my village not a month ago. It was about a league that way." She pointed west.

Agni took her hand gently. "Will you take me there? Please, I must see it."

Iroh stepped forward as the girl bit her lip, then steadied her resolve.

"Yes, I will take you there. Please wait here."

Iroh placed a hand on Agni's shoulder. "My lord, is this wise?"

Agni sighed. "I must see what my people have done. I must."

The girl returned to lead them around the back of the store, leaving an older man in charge of running the stand. There they found two horses, one brown, one gray, and she motioned for the men to mount. After they did so, she mounted behind Agni and pointed them in the right direction.

* * *

They rode until the sun began to set when at last the girl stopped them and slid from the brown horse's back. Agni asked what was wrong.

"I cannot go further. The memory, the grief, is still too near to my heart. I will wait. You go on."

Agni nodded and he and Iroh continued on. They rode for barely a minute more until they merged into a clearing. The Fire God took in a sharp breath at the sight before them.

There was nothing but a blackened wasteland where a village had once stood. The remnants and rubble of what had once been houses, shops, and inns stood in ashes and soot, ghosts of what had been before.

Agni guided his horse through the emptiness with Iroh just behind him. When they reached what had once been the town square, he dismounted his horse. In the center of the square was a statue of the Earth God Mamoru, reaching his hand out in welcome.

It was barely a whisper but it echoed around the clearing.

"Iroh…I gave them this great gift…the ability to create fire…" his voice broke.

"And this is what they've done with it!"

Agni screamed, causing crows and ravens to fly from nearby as he fell to his hands in knees in the thick soot that still covered the ground.

Harsh sobs wracked his body as the pain and frustration of one hundred years took their toll on the Fire God at once. Iroh could do nothing but try to comfort the weeping deity.

"I can't stand it Iroh; I can't stand this pain, this agony. Every life that my people take I feel in my soul. It wasn't supposed to be like this when we created life. I sick of it! Sick of it all! Sick of the war, of the death it ensues! What do I do? What _can_ I do? Oh Iroh, how could this happen? How could this happen..._to me_?"

* * *

The setting sun cast an eerie glow over the world.

A deity swore he would end the folly his people had started.

A prince and a water-bender stood with a tiger cub, watching the smoke of an enemy darken the sky.

A flying bison flew over the Earth Kingdom towards Omashu with its three passengers and a single lemur.

The setting sun sent its last beams over the world, and they illuminated a Fire Nation warship, just leaving the harbor of the Fire Nation city, Kusho Di.

* * *

zk

**Remember to tellme what you think about a new title. Please Review. **


	9. Remember

**AN: "Aye" is the African word for the physical world. And I skipped third block to work on this, so you better be thankful. I'm also very happy about this fic. Those of you who've read my previous work know that I tend to stick to one pairing. Well, now there will be multiple pairings for this story. Sorry guys, this isn't Zutara centric anymore. There will be four plotlines going at one time. I've never taken on something like this before and I'm really looking forward to this. Hope you are too! **

* * *

"…_Remember…_

…_I will still be here…_

…_As long as you hold me…_

…_In your memory…"_

_Josh Groban, 'Remember'_

**Chapter 9: Remember**

Fire Lord Ozai was in a meeting with his most prodigious generals when a guard alerted him that a Fire Sage wished to speak with him. Rather than disrupt the generals by leaving, he motioned for them to continue while he allowed the Sage to enter.

The Fire Sage bowed humbly as he entered, a small scroll tucked to his chest.

"My lord," he whispered when he reached the Fire Lord's side. "You asked me to inform you if I found anything in the foreseer's works that might foretell the outcome of this war."

Quickly, the Fire Lord raised his hands for silence. The room quieted, but the Sage did not raise his voice above the current whisper as he unrolled the scroll.

"Here, my lord. Read here."

Sensing the tremor in the Sage's voice, Fire Lord Ozai took the scroll and began to read where the Sage had instructed to begin.

_The reign of fire will end_

_A lasting peace for all_

_When the Son of Agni rides with his sire_

_The enemy of the free people will fall_

The Sage's voice was noticeably shaky now. "You a-a-asked me to i-in-inform you e-even i-if it w-was b-b-ba-bad my l-lord."

The Fire Lord waved his hand, the scroll pressed firmly against the table by his other.

"Go."

The Sage bowed, and was gone. One of the generals, Zade his name was, leaned forward.

"What does it say my lord? What is the prediction?"

Ozai stared at a particular flame embellishment on the wall behind the generals.

"It says that the Son of Agni will be our undoing."

Whispers stole around at this statement.

"The Son of Agni?"

"Not possible."

"The scriptures say nothing of the Great Lord Agni having a son."

"It's just a myth, it cannot cause us harm."

"Silence."

The generals fell quiet and looked at their leader. Fire Lord Ozai turned his head to look at the leader of the Fire Sages who always attended these meetings.

"This is your area of expertise."

The Sage knelt in respect, his forehead touching the floor.

"My lord, I will search the scriptures for mention of a Son of Agni. In the meanwhile, I think it best if we offer sacrifices to the Great Lord Agni in case we have offended him in some way. This Son may be a great beast or simply an extremely powerful fire-bender. We must know more."

"Then go, and come to me when you know more."

The Sage bowed his head in acknowledgement and went out. Fire Lord Ozai left his generals to planning the next stage of the war and went to his private study.

As he sat down behind his desk, he was so tired and frustrated. None of their advances were working against the Earth Kingdom. Was there some supernatural force that was preventing them from achieving their goal? He could only think of his dream, which had come several times since it had first appeared to him.

The Fire Lord walked to the window and pushed back the glass doors to walk out onto the balcony. He laid his hands on the railing and sighed, his gold eyes flashing in the morning light. The first light from the rising sun was bursting from below the horizon and unknown to him; the last rays of the moon were setting behind him.

There was a flurry of wind, and he turned around sharply to behold a beautiful woman standing in the balcony doorway.

"Still want to be a god, my lord?"

"Keilantra." He hissed. She smiled and moved out onto the balcony, a shroud of darkness following her where she went, a black robe concealing most of her form.

"I have your order Fire Lord."

The black robe parted as she drew out a tightly wrapped package and when she pulled back the cloths, it revealed a shining gold spear.

"This I have sanctioned so that you might stand a chance when the Great Lord Agni seeks his vengeance upon you."

He took the spear from her and as he did, he couldn't help but notice how scantily clad Keilantra was beneath her outer robe. She laughed as he averted his gaze to the spear he now carried.

"You desire me Fire Lord."

She tossed back her robe, fully revealing her outfit and turned to walk back into his study. He couldn't help but follow. But she didn't stop at his study, but continued on into his bedchamber. Brushing her hand against the crimson silks of his bed, he shuddered at her antics.

"Fire Lord Ozai," She said simply and paused after speaking until he wanted to ask what she wanted. Instead, he kept his silence and she sat down on the edge of his bed.

"The spear you carry can kill any immortal if wielded correctly. And I tell you, if you are not the one to wield it, it will not serve you well."

She smiled.

"But I know someone of the royal blood can wield it, so you have as much chance as any of those related to you."

His eyes narrowed. "You put me at risk?"

She stood and walked over to him and he suppressed another shudder. The lighting of the room accented the color of her skin, an almost golden color, and the cut of her dress revealed more as she walked.

When she reached him, she touched a hand to his rough cheek. "Oh no, my lord, I only do what I am told. You put yourself at risk."

He growled in anger as much as concealed lust and she pressed her body against his, but her voice instantly lost its seductive touch.

"The spear contracts into itself, so you may carry it with you at all times."

She smiled again. "It is so amusing to me that you desire me, and I remember you as a screaming babe fresh from your mother's womb."

She stepped away and towards the balcony.

"Run to your concubines Fire Lord, for they are the only ones who will love you tonight."

He blinked and she was gone, the sun had fully risen in his window. He looked down at the spear and noticed a few characters on the head of the spear. It read simply,

_Forged to be wielded by the Son of Agni._

With an angry growl, he allowed the spear to contract into itself and headed out, back towards where his generals were meeting.

_

* * *

She ran down the hallway, gasping for breath through her constricted chest as she fought back sobs. Today was her eighth birthday, and no one cared. Once again, she hadn't done right in training, and father had punished her, once again. On her birthday of all days, didn't she deserve more than this? _

_Pushing open the door to her room, she slammed the door behind her and threw herself on the bed. She sobbed into her pillow, knowing that no one cared enough about her to risk her father's wrath by coming to comfort her. _

_The last thing she expected was a hand on her back doing just that. _

"_Go away." _

"_I got you something…for your birthday." _

_She sat up partially, not really caring but not wanting to seem impolite. Then she laughed bitterly upon seeing her brother's face, not having recognized his voice. He pulled her up and into his arms, letting her sob against his shoulder. _

"_I'm sorry." _

"_Why?" she whispered brokenly. _

"_For not coming here sooner. Father tries to pit us against each other but we must stand together. Only together will we be strong." _

_She nodded against his chest. _

"_I promise you sister, I will always be here for you." _

"_And I you my brother." _

_He kissed her cheek and she made a gagging sound, dragging the palm of her hand across the offended area. He laughed and placed something in her hand._

_It was a small charm, the Fire Nation symbol carved delicately into the metal. _

"_I carved it myself." He said sheepishly. _

_She threw her arms around his neck. "Thank you! Oh, this is my best birthday ever!" _

_She leaned back and smiled at him, and he smiled back. _

_Then, suddenly, he was being dragged away from her, his back to her, and an ethereal voice sounded around her, heard by none but her. _

"_Why are you saying this?" _

"_Get away from me!" _

"_Don't give in sister! Don't let him win! He's trying…"_

"_Liar! My father cares about me! You're just jealous because I learn faster than you do! Get away from me!" _

_He was surrounded by fire, and before she could stop herself she smiled. _

_In her mind, in the same ethereal voice, she screamed against her own torment. _

"_Brother! I am here for you! I'm sorry!"_

_But he didn't hear her, because she had never said it. _

_The fire consumed him and he screamed. There were no words in his scream but she swore she heard them. _

"A_ZULA! WHY?"_

* * *

Princess Azula sat up sharp in bed, clutching the crimson sheets to her trembling form. For a moment, she barely knew where she was until, with an unsteady lurch, the ocean reminded her of where she'd come to be. 

She was on a warship, in the middle of Earth Kingdom waters, searching for the Avatar…and Prince Zuko.

Azula climbed shakily out of bed, the threads of her nightmare still clinging to her subconscious. The worst part was that her nightmares were consistently made up of memories.

Her black hair fell around her shoulders as she splashed some cold water on her face to help her wake up. She then put on her gray uniform and then the traditional armor. She quickly fixed her hair and glanced in the full-length mirror, just to check.

Golden eyes looked back at her and narrowed in her mirror image.

_I will find you brother and help you capture the Avatar. I will keep my promise, and I will stand by you until death parts us. And if I live on after you, I will avenge your death one thousand times over._

Azula then turned and marched out of her room, slamming the iron door behind her. She marched above deck and up to navigations where the helmsman was guiding the ship.

Upon reaching the floor, she barely noticed the heads inclined in her direction.

"Lieutenant…Ryuji is it?"

The said lieutenant stepped forward, a map in his hand.

"It is my lady."

She nodded. "What are the last known coordinates of my brother's ship?"

He opened the map and stepped near her; she shifted to compensate the rest of the distance so they could both see the map.

"His ship was last seen at these docks." The lieutenant said, pointing to a place on the map.

"All right. Helmsman, head for Anrik."

"Anrik ma'am? But Prince Zuko was last seen at Kusho Di!"

"He'll have left by now and if I know Uncle Iroh, he'll be stopping at Anrik for some light shopping." She stopped and looked at the inquisitive helmsman.

"Why are we discussing this? I gave you an order. Head for Anrik!"

"Yes ma'am!" the helmsman squeaked before adjusting their course.

Azula stepped past him and looked out the window to the ocean beyond. She had a mission to complete.

* * *

Zuko woke slowly as the sun rose, still leaning against the tree he'd sat by to watch the tigress' remains burn and to keep them from spreading to the trees. As he tried to stand and stretch, a weight bore down on his right side. The girl…Katara…was sleeping on his right arm, the young tiger cub they'd found and adopted curled up in her arms like a sleeping babe. 

_She's rather pretty._

_**She's rather annoying.**_

_Her hair looks soft…I wonder…_

Before he could stop it, his hand had wandered up and brushed a stray strand of her hair back behind her ear. Zuko growled in anger at him-self and stood roughly, briefly forgetting that she was halfway lying on him.

Katara's head hit the sand, jarring her and the cub awake. She shook her head and pushed herself up. The cub mimicked her movements before bounding across the beach to Zuko, who was standing by the waves, watching the sunrise.

She stood, momentarily forgiving Zuko for being so rude. It was hard enough to believe she'd fallen asleep against him. Smoke was still rising from the previous night's fire, and it marred the sunrise. Katara walked over and stood by Zuko for a moment before kneeling to play with the cub.

"We should call her Mika." She said to Zuko.

"Who?"

She looked up at him disdainfully.

"The cub of course. I think we should call her Mika."

"First of all, stop thinking. Second, _you_ can call _your_ pet whatever you want to. I don't care for the thing."

Katara laughed as Mika turned back to her favorite toy, Zuko's bare toes.

"Well, it seems she cares for you."

Zuko made a sound like he was annoyed but he made no effort to move his foot from Mika's reach and Katara smiled. After a moment, she stood.

"I'm hungry. Let's go back to camp and I'll make breakfast."

Zuko nodded his agreement and they both turned to go, but Zuko stopped.

"G…Katara, look at that."

She turned and followed his gaze. "What is it?"

The wind had shifted directions and was now blowing northwest, taking the smoke with it. This was in itself normal, but halfway across the horizon sky, the smoke stopped and went straight up, as if some wall blocked it, but nothing could be seen.

Instantly, they both set out towards this invisible wall, hunger forgotten in curiosity.

* * *

Nen paced the floor repeatedly with Mamoru nearby. On her face was a vengeful smile, and Mamoru avoided looking at her, instead watching the stars of their spiritual home streak by. 

From the clouds around them materialized two humanoid beings, one male and one female, the Air Goddess and her husband. Nen turned to greet them.

"Lady Makani, Lord Samir, I'm glad you could join us."

Makani smiled sweetly at the young Water Goddess but Samir did not even acknowledge her. He glared at Mamoru who in turn ignored him, but the Air God did not seem upset at this. He stalked across the floor Nen had produced and drew up the clouds until they formed a small couch, which he then stretched out upon.

"What is then about Nen?"

She smiled at him. "Please be patient, Samir. We are waiting on one more person."

The clouds parted once more and Lady Kaia, the wife of Mamoru, had arrived. She smiled sheepishly, her gaze sweeping the room to linger a moment longer on Samir, who calmly disregarded her. Mamoru cleared his throat and she whimpered, quickly taking the seat that her husband procured for her. Mamoru himself chose to stand.

Nen smiled. "Good, everyone is here."

Makani, who'd also conjured a seat from the clouds, reclined back. "What about Agni and Shasa?"

Nen's smile never faltered. "This does not concern Shasa, and we are here to discuss Agni, and he cannot help decide his own fate."

Samir sat forward. "Just what are you talking about Nen?"

Mamoru also turned his full attention to the youngest Water Sister. "Yes, I suggest you begin outlining this great epiphany you had, after which you begged me bring you home."

Nen sighed, and finally let her smile fall. "I am simply here to speak to you about Aye."

Makani frowned. "What does that have to do with Agni?"

Nen positioned herself so she could speak with all those surrounding her.

"What is Agni doing to end the war that we endure every day?"

Mamoru growled softly. "He is taking his power from the Fire Nation and discrediting their morals and beliefs. What more can he do? By law, we are not allowed to directly affect Aye."

"Are we sure he is? Can he not be _strengthening_ the Fire Nation?" She said calmly with a seductive purr.

Mamoru took three quick steps forward into the circle. "Have you forgotten what it is to be a god in your long stay away from the Spirit World? Agni feels every death just as we do. How _could_ he support this war?"

Nen hissed in anger. "In my 'long stay away from the Spirit World' I saw this war first hand. I have the most experience with this, more than any of you! If Agni is trying to stop this, why is the Fire Nation winning? The Air Nomads have nearly been completely wiped out. We can count them in the hundreds. The Southern Water Tribe is a mere shadow of its former self. Thousands of Earth Kingdom villages have been forced to surrender to this burning plague. I myself was attacked by a Fire Nation soldier!"

"We know not what nation that man was from, and Agni can do no more than the rest of us!"

Makani stood quickly. "Perhaps Nen is right."

Mamoru looked at her. "What do you mean Makani?"

Makani was quick to defend her position. "I mean that Agni has chosen to live in Aye and his very presence in the physical world lends strength to the fire-benders. Completely ignoring that Solzen's comet is attracted to him, so when he is in Aye, it moves more quickly."

Kaia seemed shocked. "So Agni's mere presence is giving the fire-benders an advantage?"

Nen nodded and Makani sighed, feeling as if she had betrayed the Fire God. But Nen felt no such regret, but Mamoru growled in anger. Before he could speak however, Samir joined the debate.

"Now we must see this from all angles," he said calmly as he stood. "Perhaps there is a reason why Agni has chosen to stay in Aye that does not concern the Fire Nation."

"Yes!" Mamoru cried in agreement.

Nen grinned wickedly as she turned to Mamoru. "And now you are siding with the man who slept with your wife?"

Samir and Mamoru, now standing side by side, glared at the young goddess, both silent.

Kaia stood sharply and spoke shrilly. "Enough! Do you not see that if we, the gods and goddesses of this world, are divided, the people will not long last? We swore when life was created in Aye that we would protect them and look only for the welfare of the people! If there is a reason for Agni's choice of habitat, why should we force him to ignore this decision?"

"There is a reason."

Every one of them spun around to behold Shasa sadly standing amongst the clouds. Nen glared at her sister, but shrank to the background.

Makani took a step forward. "What is it Shasa? What is the reason?"

Shasa sighed and raised her head to meet their scrutinizing gaze.

"He stays for his son."

There was a flurry of movement and Samir stepped forward. "You have another son?"

She shook her head. "Not my son, his son."

Nen laughed in triumph. "He slept with another woman?"

"Yes, but I don't hold it against him. Zuko…"

"Zuko?" Nen shouted happily. "Prince Zuko?"

She turned back to the other deities. "This is proof of what I've been saying! He's given his strength to the Prince of the Fire Nation! He means to help the fire-benders win the war."

Shasa lunged forward. "No! Zuko is nothing like the other fire-benders! He doesn't support the war! He _hates_ it! When he gains the throne…"

"He will be consumed by the same bloodlust as all the other fire-benders! And with the strength he's been given he will destroy the remaining free people of this world!"

"No!" Shasa shouted almost desperately, but as she turned to plead with the others, the look in their eyes said that Nen had won.

Mamoru moved to stand beside Shasa.

"Look," Mamoru started. "We don't know how Zuko will turn out, but we do know the indecision in his heart. Agni's decision could be for the best."

Makani stepped forward, the cold brutality of the harshest winds in her eyes. "Or it could not be. I think it best that Agni return, and stay in, the Spirit World, neither directly or indirectly affecting the outcome of this war."

A look of horror invaded Shasa's eyes. "You can't do that! It would kill him!"

Nen smiled. "If everything has been said, as always, it comes down to majority."

After a moment of contemplation, it was Nen, Makani, and Kaia against Mamoru and Shasa. Samir stood in the middle.

At long last, Samir hung his head. "I am sorry Shasa, but I stand with Makani."

Anger filled Shasa and she glared at her peers. "May Agni forgive you, for I will not."

Then her gaze fell on Nen, her sister, the one person in the world she was supposed to be closest to, the one who had now so deeply betrayed her.

Their eyes met and as Nen opened her mouth to speak, Shasa cut her off.

"You are not my sister."

Shasa then turned and was gone. Mamoru started to go after her and then stopped, knowing his support would soon be needed.

* * *

Agni and Iroh were sitting on the deck of the warship, Agni's attention clearly elsewhere. Iroh took another small sip of tea. 

"So that's it?"

Agni sighed.

"Yes, that is my entire plan. I mean to defeat the Fire Lord, and then the people will gladly take Zuko back as their leader. In the mean time, if he is given the chance to see the war, his opinions should develop as yours did, and he will seek to end the war."

Iroh nodded his agreement, but looked down. "Perhaps we should speak to him about these things. Then I might not feel as if we are using him."

There was a moment of silence, which lengthened substantially after a bit.

"Agni?"

Iroh looked up. The Fire God was nowhere to be seen.

Agni looked around at his peers until his gaze met Nen's. Her eyes were full of hatred and triumphant vengeance.

"Nen?" he whispered, and she grinned. As she did so, Agni began to get a sinking feeling.

He looked around again, but no one would meet his eyes except Mamoru. Hidden in the deep green eyes of the Earth God was anger and sympathy, and Agni's heart sank a little lower.

"What's going on?" His voice never elevated above a whisper.

Nen stepped forward when no one else would. "We have decided, in Aye's best interests, that you should remain here in the Spirit World until further notice and have no contact with Aye, again until further notice."

Makani spoke gently. "Only until the outcome of this war has been decided."

Tears unwillingly filled the eyes of the betrayed Fire God. "You can't do this."

Nen smiled. "We can and we are."

Mamoru choked back an angry sob. "Please, for pity's sake Nen, reconsider!"

"Never." She whispered.

Agni turned and walked quickly to stand in front of Mamoru.

"Mamoru, please, do me this favor. Find my son, Zuko, and tell him that I am his father. Please do this for me."

Mamoru nodded fervently and Agni cried out. "Go now!"

When the Earth God had gone, he turned back to the gods, who merely looked at him. He slipped back into his true form but this time did it reluctantly, not knowing the next time he would be allowed to transform back into his human form.

The Great Golden Dragon turned and took flight, leaving behind his peers in search of solitude.

Kaia began to cry, and Makani drew on her icy strength to remain calm. Samir turned to comforting Kaia.

Of all the deities in the Spirit World that day, only Nen was happy.

* * *

ZK 

ZK

ZK

**Ok, by a show of hands, allow me to see who hates Nen right now? **

**Also, who can guess who Keilantra really is? C'mon! Guess!**


	10. Don't Look

**AN: Ok. Here are the results as of now. **

**Two people do not hate Nen. **

**Only one person was completely correct as to whom Keilantra really is. And this surprises me! I told you who Keilantra is earlier in the story! Here's a hint. Her name means 'princess of the night sky.' Now check back to chapter…6 I think. Oops, almost forgot. (Tosses cookie to Deamon Fire)**

**One more thing. You should all start paying close attention to the quartets at the top of the chapter…when they appear. **

**Gods you guys are spoiled...**

_

* * *

_

_"The Four will unite to defeat the Dragon of Fire_

_But will the Four alone be enough?_

_The White Dragon will rise_

_But alone his strength shall fail…"_

**Chapter 10: Don't Look**

Before Azula and her men reached the island market of Anrik, they had to stop at a nearby Fire Nation port for supplies.

Azula stepped off the ship and looked around, her eyes adjusting quickly to the rushing people around. It was easy to see the fear and wide-eyed wonder in their faces. What could have happened to cause all this?

"Princess Azula!" she heard someone cry happily and she turned to see a man walking up to her.

"Admiral Zhao?"

Indeed it was the Admiral, but he now had a mark across his forehead that looked strangely like a dragon, and he was smiling non-sadistically.

"Indeed. What a lovely day it is, don't you agree?"

Azula looked around at the cloudy sky and chilling winds and frowned.

"No I don't."

"Pity."

Zhao continued to look fondly at the sky and Azula shook her head lightly.

"Look, Admiral…"

"Oh, I don't go by Admiral anymore."

Azula's jaw dropped. "Excuse me?"

Zhao smiled. "I found the whole war a bit superfluous really. I've decided to retire."

"Zhao, my father won't like this. He'll have you killed."

Zhao's smile faltered. "Better the Fire Lord than _him_." An involuntary shudder rippled through the former Admiral's body.

"I can't bend my lady, and if I do, I could die."

Azula had to fight to remain where she stood at the fear in the Admiral's eyes.

"Every time I even think about bending, or meditate, or try to light a candle, I feel his presence within me; feel the turmoil in my inner fire. I can't…"

"Zhao…stop this nonsense." Azula started.

Suddenly, Zhao's smile was back. "Come my lady, I wish to show you something."

She regarded him silently for a moment before nodding and he led her through the city to the Eastern Gate. Before them was a wooded hill with a small dirt path leading up it.

"Zhao, where are you taking me?"

"You'll see my lady."

He led her up the dirt path, and after a while, Azula began to get angry.

"Look Zhao, this better have a purpose or I swear I'll…"

"There!"

She looked forward, past the Admiral to the place where he was pointing. At the end of the path was a large stone shrine with the Air Nation symbol carved above a small opening. She was unable to help herself as she walked towards the altar.

"What is it Zhao?"

He smiled. "I'm not sure. I swear it wasn't here two weeks ago, but some boys stumbled across it day before yesterday."

They were now standing in front of the shrine, and Zhao pointed to what looked like cracks in the stone.

"Here it looks like it opens, but we can't find a latch of or a button of any sort. What do you think my lady?"

Azula stepped a little closer to the shrine, her golden eyes narrowing onto the Air Symbol, and there it was, the tiniest crease in the stone. Gently, she ran her finger across it to make sure it wasn't an illusion. As she touched the symbol, there was a creak and a snap from within the stone. Zhao gave a surprised cry and leapt back, but Azula didn't move.

Slowly, the cracks in the front of the shrine groaned their way open, revealing a small cache in the altar. Inside the opening was what appeared to be an amulet.

"My lady, perhaps you should not touch that."

Azula snorted derisively. "Zhao, you are boring me with your cowardly drivel, now shut it before I make you face whomever you were talking about earlier!"

Zhao's jaw clamped shut and Azula reached into the opening to retrieve the amulet. She paused ever so slightly before removing the piece from its hold.

Drawing it out into the sunlight, it appeared to be a rather large diamond with the Air Nation symbol carved into the center. The back of the diamond was flat and encased in some sort of metal the gleamed when the sun hit it. On the back of the metal casing were several notches or creases that made it seem as though it would fit into something. Attached to the amulet was a chain of clear beads that appeared to be made of quartz.

The amulet itself was just larger than Azula's palm, and after a moment, she took the thing up and placed it in her money pouch.

"I can probably sell it in the marketplace. It must be worth a great deal."

Suddenly, around them the ground began to shake. Azula turned around and Zhao gave a frightened cry.

"My lady! Come over here!"

But Azula stood her ground, staring now at the shrine as it slowly sank into the earth. She didn't move until the shrine had disappeared entirely and the ground closed back over it. Zhao gave a mournful cry.

"Oh no, now you can't return the amulet! What if it is a great weapon? It could destroy us all!"

Azula took the amulet back out and stared at her, willing it to present her with its secret, but it did nothing, merely a cold piece of rock in her hands. Only then did she notice the characters written on the metal casing, but they were in a dialect she could not read.

"Zhao can you…"

"Princess look out!"

Azula was barely able to dodge as an arrow spun past her head. Several black clad warriors stepped out of the woods, their weapons drawn and their faces covered. Her eyes narrowed.

"Go now and I won't destroy you for attempting to take my life."

One of the warriors stepped up. "Surrender the Hiketsu and we will not destroy you for disturbing it. It was not made for you."

Azula held up the amulet. "You want this? You'll have to take it from me."

The warrior tilted his sword towards her. "Very well."

Azula took a bending stance and one of the warriors threw a dagger at her. It was blocked by a blast of fire not her own.

"Zhao?"

"Run my lady!"

A warrior ran up and swung his blade at her head but she blocked it and sent him flying with a blast of fire. Then something connected with the back of her head and she knew no more.

* * *

They were climbing a nearly sheer cliff, and Katara was still trying to figure out why, but for some reason, it made her feel good. The strain of her limbs and the forces she had to exhort to keep going, and of course the fact that Zuko had decided that having civil conversation with her was easier than ignoring and insulting her. 

"That's when my brother woke up and said something about food eating people."

"Your brother's an idiot."

She smiled. Well, she didn't say he wasn't being insulting at all.

"You're right. It wasn't long after that when we got to the North Pole."

"Really? Then that was probably about the time Zhao tried to kill me."

"Zhao tried to kill you?"

"Yes, he hired pirates to put blasting jelly on my ship…while I was still onboard."

Katara winced. "How'd you survive?"

A derisive snort came from the man climbing above her. "I'm a fire-bender Katara."

"Oh."

"I then stowed away on Zhao's flag ship and my uncle helped me stay hidden until we got to the North Pole."

"So you weren't part of the main invasion?"

"No. Zhao was leading that. I actually followed an underwater tunnel and got in that way."

"You snuck in."

"Yes."

"How'd you find the oasis?"

"I followed you, the Avatar, and Princess Yue."

"How do you know Princess Yue?"

"I met her when I was six. My uncle took me scouting with him."

"Oh. Why do you keep chasing us?"

"What?"

"Why do you keep chasing us?"

"To restore my honor."

"How would capturing Aang…"

"Who?"

"The Avatar."

"Oh, continue."

"How would capturing Aang restore your honor?"

Zuko sighed. "It's a long story."

"Will you tell me?"

"Maybe sometime."

He stopped climbing and Katara looked up. "What's wrong?"

"This next part looks tricky…I want you above me in case you fall."

Katara nodded and pulled herself up the side of the cliff. When she came in reach, she felt Zuko take her hand and steady her as she climbed up beside him. His eyes met hers as she caught her breath.

"Take your time, and feel around for a strong hold before you shift your weight."

She nodded, and started up. Despite having to find handholds herself, she actually liked this better knowing that Zuko was right beneath her in case she fell. There was silence as Zuko allowed her to concentrate on finding the niches in the rock that would allow her to climb on. Often she knew she was a little bit slower for she'd feel his arms encircling her legs as she climbed.

Finally, she thought she felt the cliff level out.

"Zuko, I think we're near the top…whoa!"

The piece she was hanging onto broke and she began to fall, at least until she felt a strong arm encircle her waist. She was now resting between Zuko and the cliff wall, and she let out a long sigh.

"Are you all right?"

She nodded, taking deep breaths to calm her racing heart. Zuko's grip on her waist didn't dissipate until she took up her place on the wall again. He slowly released her as she began to climb.

Katara glanced down to see Zuko smirked slightly as he noted that she had been right, they were nearing the top. Katara slipped once more and this time Zuko was close enough to raise a hand to still her downward drop, but his hand happened to land high up on her leg, just below her rear. She looked down at him and he was just urging her on with his eyes, no perverted smirk to make her afraid, so she continued on.

At last they reached the top, and Katara felt she barely had enough energy to pull herself onto the plateau. Zuko however, upon reaching the top, stood up without hesitation, while she sprawled out over the ground.

"Please tell me we can take a break."

She looked up at Zuko who didn't at first seem to hear her and then he smiled, truly smiled! Katara was mystified to feel her heart leap at this show of emotion.

"Yes, we can rest."

She smiled, it was clear he didn't think she'd seen him smile, but she could rest and that was enough. A cold breeze blew across the plateau and she welcomed it against her hot sweating body.

Then her eyes snapped open.

"Zuko."

He turned and looked at her as she sat up from his place on a nearby rock.

"Did you feel that?"

"The breeze? Yes."

Katara stood and sent him a look that she often sent Sokka when he was being naïve.

"But it was cold Zuko. I thought we were in the tropics."

Zuko's eyes snapped open from where they'd lazily closed after her inquiry.

"You're right." He said simply, sitting up. The breeze came again and they both involuntarily shuddered. This time there was nothing welcoming about it. Katara looked around and then froze.

"Zuko look."

He walked over and stood at her side, looking in the direction she pointed. There was a large wall, but it was nearly transparent, looking almost like a viscous fluid always shifting and changing its surface. They both walked towards it.

Suddenly, a large crashing sound came from behind them. Mika came bursting from over the cliff wall, chasing what appeared to be a mouse-sized canyon crawler. They both ran straight through the wall.

"Mika!" Katara screamed and ran after the cub.

There was a moment in which she felt she was being torn apart and then she was on the other side of the wall. Zuko came bursting through after her.

"What do you think you were doing, you stupid peasant? What if you'd been…"

Zuko trailed off as he followed her gaze around the world they'd now entered. Everywhere they looked there was nothing but bleak icy tundra. The breeze was now a gusting wind, stirring up sand-like snow and whirling it around them.

Zuko shivered, wrapping his arms around his bare chest.

"Katara, we should go."

She nodded but then she saw something against the horizon. "Zuko! See there's smoke!"

She ran off towards the trail that the smoke left against the pale sky, and Zuko could do nothing but follow her, his bare feet and chest protesting angrily against the brutally cold wind.

Katara couldn't stop running until she reached the source of the smoke; she knew she couldn't, for this was her world, in ice and snow. Zuko ran behind her, bending to keep him warm.

She ran to the top of another glacier and stopped, her eyes wide at the sight before her.

"No." she whispered and Zuko finally caught up to her, shivering in the cold.

Before them was a village, nation unknown, in ashes. Katara fought to keep her tears from falling as they both traversed down into the village. She was all set to be angry with Zuko and all fire-benders when Zuko knelt down beside one of the shells of a house.

"It wasn't fire-benders Katara."

She turned around and looked at him. "Are you sure?"

He nodded and pointed to a particular piece of wood. "Look at those scorches. I should be able to feel a remnant of the person that created them, but I can't, that means this was a natural fire."

Katara sighed and nodded and they continued on. Zuko began to lead and they came to a house partially upright and the prince headed in, Katara close behind him. She was surprised to hear him gasp and then he turned and roughly pulled her into his arms, pressing her face to his chest.

"Don't look Katara."

She didn't need to, the smell of burnt flesh permeated every part of the house, and she let out a choked sob. Zuko guided her back out into the fresh air.

They stood there for a moment in the chilling wind until suddenly Zuko sank to his knees in the snow. Katara knelt in front of him, seeking the warmth and comfort of his arms, and he embraced her once more. She was startled when his chest hitched in suppressed sobs, and she slowly wrapped her arms around him, letting her own tears fall.

Mika watched the two as they sat in the snow, one leg of the crawler peeking out of her mouth. She wanted them to laugh and play as they had this morning, but for some reason they were sad. Why were they sad?

* * *

Aang was sitting on Appa's head, guiding him towards the nearest island. They'd need to stop soon, and they needed supplies, but they still didn't have any money, and Katara had always been the one who knew what to buy and when. 

Suddenly, there was a gust of wind from behind him, followed by a loud 'ow' and peals of laughter.

"Kioko! That wasn't funny!" Sokka's voice was somehow strangely muffled.

"Yes it was!"

Aang didn't even bother to turn around. Kioko kept their spirits up but not up far enough. Suddenly, something came to his attention that had before been blinded by his grief and worry for Katara.

"You're an air-bender!"

Kioko plopped down on Appa's head beside him.

"Duh. Told you that before."

Aang grinned. "But it just connected. If you're an air-bender, then there must be others!"

She laughed and nodded. "My father is an air-bender, and there are lots where he is."

Aang's grin grew wider. "You have to take me there."

Sokka succeeded in getting the bucket off his head. "I thought we were going to see Bumi!"

Aang turned around. "This is more important! Surviving air-benders!"

Kioko grabbed the reins tied to Appa's horns. "Then we need to go this way!"

She pulled on the reins so Appa turned towards the west, and the great bison gave a low groan.

Aang looked at her as she sat so proud and tall on the flying bison. That was when he noticed the beads wrapped around her right arm. They appeared to be made of a type of emerald and how they clasped to her green clad shoulder he didn't know, but they seemed to be attached to an emerald gold ring on her right middle finger.

"How'd you get those?"

She glanced at the beads. "Those? Oh, I found them."

Aang took her hand in his own and lifted it so he could look at the ring. Around the set emerald were several characters. Luckily enough, the monks had taught him whatever dialect it was written in.

"Forged to be wielded by…"

Kioko snatched her hand away. "Don't do that!"

For the first time since he had met her, a jolly smile didn't light up her face and her eyes flashed angrily.

"Sorry," he whispered, and she smiled again.

"On to see Daddy!" she cried out.

* * *

Azula woke slowly, a pounding in her head that wouldn't let her think straight. She pushed herself up with her hands, glaring at the ground she'd landed on until her vision cleared. 

The amulet was still firmly grasped in her fist, and the warriors that had attacked them were sprawled around her. Zhao must have protected her.

"Zhao?"

"Over here my lady."

She focused her attention on a huddled mass lying not far from she herself. He smiled at her, numerous wounds on his body, and a thick viscous fluid dried and caked around his mouth.

"I fire-bended Princess Azula, and now I'm dying."

"No." she whispered.

"I'm not afraid." He returned, his eyes smiling.

"No Zhao! You can't die! That's an order!"

He merely smiled, and drew a shuddering breath.

"I'm glad I am not alone."

And then he was gone. Azula shivered, her body wracked with suppressed pain. After a while, she returned to the town. Grabbing the first Fire Nation soldier she saw, she spoke harshly, her pain easily hidden by anger.

"Send a message to the Fire Lord that Admiral Zhao is dead."

"Yes Your Highness."

* * *

Iroh sighed as the sun peaked in late afternoon. A soldier came up to him. 

"I'm sorry sir, there's no sign of Lord Ryu-Kin."

Iroh nodded and the soldier left, Lieutenant Jee replacing him.

"First Zuko and now Agni."

Iroh sighed. "I know. What do we do now Jee? What do we do now?"

* * *

zk 

zk

zk

I can't remember...is angst a genre of this fic?


	11. Never Alone

**AN: Due to common thought and my own feelings, I'm thinking about changing the title again. As a reviewer said, it's not just about Zuko anymore. But I want to get a vote first. The new title I have in mind is "The Prophecy of Four." **

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* * *

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Chapter 11: Never Alone

Makani grew tired of watching the lemurs glide from tree to tree and turned to her husband who stood nearby.

"Samir, during the meeting was the first time you've been on my side in centuries."

Samir made a sound she couldn't quite interpret. She frowned.

"I'm still trying to decide if it was a good thing."

He turned his head to look at her. "A good thing? Was it a good thing that we banished Agni to the Spirit World? Was it a good thing that we took the risk of killing one of our own to save thousands?"

She sat forward. "Was it a good thing for you to sleep with Kaia?"

His eyes narrowed. "Was it a good thing that the only reason I stood with you was my hatred for Mamoru?"

"That's your own fault."

Samir growled. "You women are always the same. You never forget and you never forgive."

"Like you care for my forgiveness." Makani stated calmly and Samir was silent. "You like it simple, you like women for one night and then you are done with them."

She sneered and Samir glared at her but his eyes said he didn't care about what she was saying, but Makani knew how to hurt him.

"All those women Samir, and not one child has any of them borne you."

Samir looked away, but Makani couldn't stop the tears that filled her eyes.

"You used to want to be a father…I would've given you a child…if you loved me."

Samir did not look her way again and after a moment, he turned and left. Makani turned back towards the woods, drew a shuddering breath, and a single tear fell from her storm gray eyes.

* * *

A Fire Nation warship churned through the waters. Iroh sat on the deck staring at his teacup as if all his worry were its fault. He had done the only thing that seemed sensible, especially since the crew was already travel worn. So they headed back towards the Fire Nation, back towards home. 

Iroh could not see it in any other way except as abandoning Zuko to his own devices. What other choice did he have? He reminded himself of that, though his conscience tried to bring up several.

But without Agni to guide him, was Zuko really able to take care of himself? He'd been with someone always, always had someone there for him. For most of Zuko's short life, it had been he, Iroh, who took care of the young prince. And now, being apart from his nephew was so frustrating him.

Yet, he turned the ship towards the Fire Nation. He knew nothing else to do.

* * *

After a while, Katara managed to stop crying, but Zuko didn't seem to want to let her go, and for the moment, she was content to remain in his arms. But after a minute, it became clear to her why he was still holding on to her. She pulled away and he began to shiver. 

"Zuko! You're freezing!"

He glared at her. "O-of course I-I am. I-I wa..sn't pre-p-pared for win-t-ter a-and you r-ran off."

Katara began rubbing his arms with her hands and after a moment pulled him to his feet.

"Come on we have to get back to Misu."

Zuko had tucked his head in and crossed his arms for warmth, and he gave Katara a weak smile.

"I-I think we're s-still o-on Misu."

Katara glared at him. "Whatever! Back to the warm side. Now, which way to the wall?"

Zuko looked up blearily and nodded in a particular direction. "That way."

Katara nodded and headed off in that direction, her arm hooked around Zuko's shoulders as she led him back towards the wall and their camp. She'd been barely walking for a minute when Mika came up and began leading the way.

Looking around, the worry grew in Katara's heart, for she recognized the signs of a coming blizzard.

"Zuko, we have to move faster now."

He shook his head. "Donwanna."

To hear him speak so slurred only made Katara fear more and she turned and shook the prince as hard as she could until his eyes snapped open and viewed her alertly.

"Zuko, a blizzard is coming."

His eyes darted fearfully from hers to the horizon behind until she grabbed him and forcefully turned him once more.

"We have to go now!"

He nodded and together they walked/jogged after Mika, through the ice and snow. Katara didn't even want to think about the state Zuko's bare feet would be in after this romp, but right now she forced herself to focus on keeping him alive.

The wind whistled sharply around them, growing in intensity as it picked up ice and snow and created small tornados. Mika walked forward never ceasing but after a while, Zuko began to lag. Katara pried one of his arms free and wrapped it around her own shoulders.

"Come on Zuko. You are stronger than this! You're letting me, a peasant from the Southern Water Tribe, beat you at this!"

Zuko didn't blink, only mumbled something illegible and continued walking blindly forward. He fell for the first time only moments later. Katara fell with him but pulled herself up quickly. Zuko merely lay there in the snow.

"Zuko!"

Katara screamed over the growing wind and got his arm around her once more, struggling to pull him back to his feet. Again, Zuko muttered something she could not understand and, with her help, got to his feet. Mika was moving a bit more quickly now, and Katara practically had to drag Zuko into the slow jog the cub set.

The mind-numbing cold threatened to bog Katara down as it had Zuko, but she fought it off, biting her lip and shaking her head repeatedly to ward off fatigue. How she had run this distance she didn't know.

Suddenly, up ahead something caught her eye and she ground to a halt. Her stop caught Zuko unawares who took several steps forwards without her support and upon stopping, promptly fell to sit in the growing snow. Katara quickly knelt before him to pull him up once more.

"Leave me and go."

Katara stared at him, his golden eyes full of determination, and her own eyes hardened.

"No."

"Go!" he tried to shout but it came out barely above a whisper.

"How will you survive in this?"

He leaned back, so tired…"I'll make a fire…keep warm."

Katara shook her head. "For that to work you'd need something bundle up in. You're hardly dressed at all! You're dying right here and the blizzard hasn't even really started yet!"

He shook his head stubbornly and mouthed the word 'go.' Katara grabbed his arm.

"I'm not leaving you here alone."

Zuko groaned as she pulled on him. "I've always been alone, always…been alone…always…" he trailed off.

Katara fell back to her knees and pulled him to her, clutching his near frozen body to her chest.

"You are not alone. You're here, with me, and I'm not going to leave you here alone. I will never leave you Zuko."

He just let his eyes close and lay down in the snow. Katara let out an exasperated cry but didn't think twice, knowing she needed to gain his attention, to wake him up to their situation.

Grasping his shoulders, Katara pulled him up and kissed him, biting into his lower lip savagely, and she tasted blood. When she pulled away, he was staring at her, open-mouthed, a thin line of blood trailing from his lip.

"Come on." She whispered and this time he nodded.

Together they stood, their arms wrapped around each other's shoulders and they walked steadily forward after Mika. Now Zuko looked steadfastly forward, fighting the cold as she did; they were relying on each other to keep walking, almost as if it were a challenge.

Without warning, there came the feeling of being torn apart and once again they stood in the warmth of the western end of Misu. Both teenagers sank to their knees in the long grass, letting out cries of thanks and joy in the warm glowing sun. Mika promptly lowered herself to the ground and began to roll around in the dirt.

Behind them, the wall solidified, blocking out any and all effects of the blizzard on the other side.

Katara and Zuko lay there side by side in the grass, the warm wind blowing around them as if welcoming their return. The sun was positioned just after high noon in the sky, and the world was right once more. Katara's hand was still clasped on Zuko's forearm, and neither seemed to notice. They lay there for a while until it seemed that rational thought had returned.

Zuko turned his head to look at Katara and though he made no sound, upon feeling his gaze she turned her head to see him. Their heads were mere inches apart but neither seemed to notice or either did not care. After a moment, Zuko spoke, all the hatred, vengeance, and frustration gone from his voice, and Katara was amazed at the transformation.

"Thank you," he said simply. "…for not leaving me."

She found his hand with her own and clasped it, her eyes sparkling.

"You're welcome."

* * *

Deep in the Earth Kingdom, a certain rebel group was lounging about in the trees, making no real effort to any sort of rebelling. Jet sat against the trunk of the tree, gnawing on his newest twig and twirled one sword in his hands. His thoughts were many and jumbled their way through his head. 

Briefly, he caught a snatch of the subject being conversed in the group below him.

"Ever since that girl froze him to the tree, Jet just hasn't been himself."

With an angry growl, Jet turned and dropped to the ground below, drawing his twin hook-swords as he did. The group fell outward with startled cries as he landed among them. He turned around the circle, pointing one sword to each in turn.

"Which one of you said that?"

Silence met his inquiry and he was forced to lower his sword.

"I'll have you know I am perfectly fine. I've just spent this time devising a new plan against the Fire Nation."

There was a short pause and then a small rebel spoke quietly.

"Well, what is it?"

Jet stopped. "What?"

"What's your plan?"

Jet was silent for a moment, staring at the child incredulously. "I…It's not perfect yet. I'll let you know when I'm done. Why are you questioning me? I'm the leader here!"

"Sorry sir. I meant no disrespect."

He turned around but no gaze met his. When he'd determined that no one else would dream of defying him, Jet turned and stalked off.

_Damn you Katara. Making my men doubt me. Making me look bad. _

_Damn you for making me…care. _

Looking up, smoke caught his eye. He flitted through the trees until he reached the river and beheld a small Fire Nation boat heading downstream. He smiled. Knocking a few Fire Nation heads about would make him feel much better.

* * *

Azula made a note in her log upon completing the scouting trip and turned the ship back towards the ocean to meet up with her crew. Stepping onto the deck, she was astonished when a teenage boy leapt onto the deck. He eyed her and drew twin hook-swords. 

"Want to play little girl?"

Her eyes flashed dangerously as she settled into a bending stance.

"What game little boy?"

He smiled. "Rebels vs. Soldiers."

She couldn't help but smile.

"Let's play."

* * *

On Kyoshi Island, a young blacksmith headed home from his day of work. A smile on his face, he couldn't be much happier. A legion of Earth Kingdom soldiers had come through and he'd been able to help the war effort by fixing their broken armor and sharpening their spears and swords. 

Now he was able to go home to his fiancée, whom he loved more than life. It didn't matter to him that she was Fire Nation, that she had two children, and that she'd been married, it just didn't matter. She was everything to him.

Stepping inside the unlocked home, he called to her. "Ursa?"

There was no answer. This immediately put him off. She always greeted him at the door with a kiss when he came home, even though they were not married yet.

"Ursa?" He called again as he walked towards the kitchen, checking in doorways as he did so.

Finally he reached the kitchen and his heart stopped as his gaze fell on a note on the table.

_To my dearest Damek: _

_I am sorry to leave without warning my love, but there is something that I must do. A mother's instinct you could call it. _

_I will be back soon and in time for our wedding I promise. I love you so much. _

_Ursa_

He did not say anything upon reading the note, only placed it back on the table and sighed. He loved her more than anything else, and if she had something to do, he would wait.

* * *

zk 

zk


	12. When You Didn't Have To

**AN: Okay. One thing that disconcerts me is that none of these chapters end up being what I plan them to be. I guess that is just what happens when you have five plots going at one time. Oh well. Don't care anymore. I'm still in love with this story. **

**You might have another chapter before this weekend because my third period teacher will be out tomorrw. **

**Also, I must give out a few cookies. One to each Khazia and Seabiscuit, loyal readers and close friends, and one to animecatdragon, who is my current confidant on this story and is probably the only one who knows where this is going...besides me. Anda box of cookies for everyone unmentioned because I am lazy. (huggles Ziri plushie)**

* * *

"…_You told me to hold on b__ut you let go_

_You told me to be strong w__hen you were weak_

_You told me you would always protect me..._

_...When I never was yours to protect_

_Why did you love me_

_When you never had to?..."_

**Chapter 12: When You Never Had To**

A young crimson dragon, perhaps a few weeks old, barely two feet long from his snout to the tip of his spiked tail, walked amongst his peers, his nostrils flared and searching. But no matter how he searched, he could not find the scent he was looking for.

The young dragon let out a plaintive wail which was echoed by those around him. Not a single dragon on the hidden plateau was more than a year and a half old. Their colors ranged from the deepest crimson to the clearest sapphire. And they were alone.

* * *

On the same day that Katara and Zuko raced against the blizzard, on the same day that Princess Azula ran into a rebel teenager, on the same day Aang found out he was not the last air-bender, a teenage boy walked along the beaches of Cascata. 

The waves rolled around his feet, and for a moment in his turmoil filled life, he was happy. He was dressed in black loose pants and a navy blue tunic, bare feet burying themselves into the sand.

Golden eyes gazed out over the waves, a rarity in the Earth Kingdom, impossible in the Water Tribe village in which he lived. Solid black hair waved in the soft sea breeze, and a rude scar interrupted his otherwise pleasant features over his left eye.

As his thoughts turned to this scar, his joyous mood vanished as he remembered.

_

* * *

SMACK. _

_He went sprawling into the wall. His father was drunk again, his mother cowering in the corner, but he had to protect her and Midori. _

"_Teach you to be late home…" _

"_Mother knew where I was…" _

_SMACK_

"_Damned if I care about that woman you half-breed…" _

_He struggled to regain his feet when he felt the toe of his father's boot collide with his ribs, sending him face down into the dirt again. _

"_Stop it Heng! You're hurting him! Can't you tell he's in pain?" _

_He slapped her and she fell with a cry. _

"_Pain? Pain woman?" _

_The brute of a man turned towards the fire, drew out a burning log, and turned towards his weeping son. _

"_I'll teach you the meaning of pain boy…" _

_Then he thrust the burning log into his son's eye and he screamed. _

* * *

Everyone in the village heard his scream that night and the truth about his father finally came out. The marshal came the next day and took his father to a prison, far away. Since then he and his little sister, Midori, had lived with their mother until she died. 

"I should've known I'd find you here."

He turned around to find Midori coming down the hill to join him on the sands. She was the perfect model of a water-bender while he'd always been a bit…different. She smiled at him.

"I'm going to practice my water-bending. Going to watch?"

He nodded and sat down as she advanced towards the rolling waves. He could get lost in the movements of the water as she bended it around her, and she knew that it soothed him, so she bended often. He remembered the nights after their father had beaten him that she would bend for him. This was how she'd learned she could heal.

After their mother had died, they'd come here to live with their aunt. Aunt Sera was a very nice woman, despite having lived in the Fire Nation for several years. She was a midwife and claimed to have served as midwife to the Fire Lord's wife, but everyone knew it wasn't true.

Two elk stirred in the pen near their house, their names Zana and Tokul. They had been Aunt Sera's birthday present to them, and it had been so much fun to learn to ride them.

"Ziri! Midori! Come inside, it's time for dinner!"

Midori gave her brother and smile and together they raced inside to dinner. After dinner, they washed up and went to bed. The siblings shared a room in Aunt Sera's small house and there was a small curtain in the middle to allow them some privacy.

The young boy had only been in bed a few minutes before his aunt came in.

"Ziri? Are you awake?"

He sat up. "Yes, I'm awake, Aunt Sera."

She nodded. "Come into the kitchen. I need to speak with you Ziri."

Ziri stood and followed his aunt into the kitchen and sat down at the table with her. She poured some tea into a cup and gave it to him after adding a little sugar and as he drank, she gave a huge sigh.

"What's wrong Aunt?"

She sighed again. "There is something I must tell you."

Ziri looked at her, concern narrowing his amber eyes. Tears filled her blue eyes.

"Ziri," she whispered. "Have you ever noticed that you are somewhat different from the other children your age? Physically?"

He nodded and she sighed in relief. "Tomorrow is your seventeenth birthday Ziri, and I must tell you this."

She reached a hand over and tilted his chin up, he liked it when she did this, it made him feel loved.

"Ziri, you are not of the Water Nation."

He shrugged. "I've always thought I had some Earth Kingdom in me."

Sera shook her head. "You are not Water, nor are you Earth. Ziri, you are Fire."

Ziri stared at her, his eyes wide and his jaw dropped. "I can't be!"

A single tear fell from her eyes. "Not only that, but you are a fire-bender."

He shook his head, desperately wishing to go back to sleep and forget this.

"I cannot be one of those ruthless killers!"

Instantly she was across the table and cradling him as she had done so often after his mother died.

"No, you are not, my precious Ziri. You are not. But you are Fire. I brought you to your mother after your birth mother suffered complications. She loved you, and I love you. Your birth mother gave you your name, but we made you who you are."

He struggled to remain calm, not to cry, but this was such a hard truth to believe! Not only adopted but born of the Fire Nation as well! What would Midori think? Would she hate him?

"Who was my mother?"

His aunt pulled away from him and hung her head. "I cannot say."

"Tell me Aunt Sera! Please!" he begged.

She opened her mouth and suddenly the door burst in, flung from its hinges. Sera called out in warning to the intruder but Ziri knew that walk.

It was his father.

"Run Aunt Sera! Get Midori and run!"

But she did something he never expected, she lunged towards the man, drawing a knife from the fold of her dress as she did. Ziri stood there as if frozen as they struggled and suddenly Sera was thrown back and landed on the floor, her throat slit.

Moonlight reflected off the blade now in his father's hands and the gaze of a madman settled on him.

"I knew I'd find you boy. Now go fetch your sister. The three of us have to talk."

He stood there a moment, and Midori came in, sleepy-eyed and wondering at the cause of all the commotion. She quickly found out as their father advanced on Ziri.

Ziri looked down and stared at his hands, hands capable of dealing such destruction.

_Please, if I am a fire-bender, let it show now._

He took a stance he'd seen a fire-bender take once, and felt something well up within him, an angry heat. Thrusting his open palm forward, he was insanely surprised when a huge column of flame burst from his hand and caught the man he once called father in the stomach and blew him out the front door.

Midori stared at him as he caught her hand and dragged her outside. A whistle brought the elks and they both mounted without hesitation. Soon they were running from the village, from their home of more than four years, from the bane of their existence.

After they'd run for miles and felt reasonably safe, they slowed to let the elks drink at a stream. Midori stared at her brother in a mixture of fear, awe, and confusion.

"You fire-bended Ziri."

He nodded but maintained his empty stare forward. Man, had created no words in any language known to order all his thoughts, but one question stood out strong in his mind.

_Who am I?_

* * *

Samir walked through the Spirit World, no real destination in mind. A large centipede roamed through the trees and suddenly lunged down directly at his face. Without surprise, without emotion, he responded to the intimidating face before him. 

"Hello Koh."

Koh the Face-Stealer gave a general hiss and went on his way, and Samir continued on through the swamp, his element drying the land he walked on. He became lost in his own thoughts and was barely able to dodge a boulder of earth that was suddenly hurled his way.

"Peace Mamoru."

The Earth God turned and glared at the golden dragon beside him before resuming him place on the grass, muttering coldly under his breath. Samir lowered his eyes and started to walk past the other two gods until he was spoken to.

"Join us Samir."

This apparently surprised Mamoru. "Agni?"

Agni turned one flame red eye on the Earth God before returning his gaze to Samir.

"Join us."

After the invitation had been extended, Samir calmly walked over and sat near Agni, but so he could view Mamoru if he decided to retaliate once more. Agni was considerably calm, and this in itself was rather unnerving, the usual playful and happy god reduced to this. Samir couldn't help but sigh as he sat, his eyes full of unshared pain.

Mamoru crossed his arms and leaned back as the earth rose up to meet him in a natural chair.

"What are you doing here Samir?"

Samir glared at him. "The Spirit World is free for me to walk through is it not?"

"The Spirit World is limitless, why did you come here?"

"I wanted to be alone."

Agni blew a small flame at Mamoru, bidding him be silent.

"What is bothering you Samir?"

Samir crossed his arms and turned his head away. "Nothing is bothering me, I am fine."

"You wouldn't want to be alone if everything was all right."

"Yes, he'd prefer to be off making bastards."

Samir's gaze softened but he made no comment to the remark and Agni tilted his head.

"Do you care not if Mamoru insults you?"

"You two just go back to your conversation. Let me sit in peace."

Mamoru grinned. "I'd be more than happy to. Like I was saying before we were rudely interrupted, I couldn't find…"

He was once again silenced with a look from Agni.

"Samir…I can smell your pain from here. What is wrong?"

"I don't know…my life has been happy and now I feel…"

"Like a lecher?" Agni glared at Mamoru.

"Empty."

Both gods looked at him as if expecting further explanation and Mamoru felt like he couldn't keep glaring at him. Such pain was reflected in his eyes that neither knew quite what to do.

Mamoru was unable to keep a slight edge from his voice as he spoke.

"Why do you feel so empty? Isn't all the ill-fated love you've received enough? Is it not enough that you have the eye of nearly every woman you come into contact with, including my wife?"

Samir gave a huge sigh and seemed to shrink.

"I never slept with Kaia."

Both of them looked at him but Agni looked knowingly as Mamoru did in shock.

"You didn't?"

Samir shook his head. "I claimed her child was mine because…"

"Because?" Agni prompted him.

"Because I wanted a child."

Agni looked at him strangely. "But Samir, you have a son."

Samir's head shot up. "I do? How? You've seen him? What's he like?"

Agni chuckled deep within his throat. "No, I haven't seen him, but have you never heard of the Prophecy of Four?"

The look in Samir's eyes said simply that he didn't.

Agni tilted his head towards the rising moon. "I'm not sure of the entire prophecy, but I know its general idea. Four beings would rise to end the war of the nations. The Son of Agni, the Daughter of Nen, the Daughter of Kaia…"

He turned towards Samir.

"…And the Son of Samir."

Samir just looked at him so Agni continued.

"I thought that Prince Iroh's birth would trigger this prophecy, but it failed. In fact, I lost faith that the prophecy itself would come true. I fathered Zuko merely to put one of my own on the Fire Throne. But then…"

Both the Earth and Air Gods were listening rapturously. "Then what?"

"Then Nen ran away to marry the Water Tribesman. The Daughter of Nen was born."

Mamoru looked at the ground. "Kaia had a daughter about eleven years ago…the only one missing is the Son of Samir."

Agni gazed at Samir. "And I have an idea who it is…"

* * *

Azula sent an arc of flame at the rebel who nimbly dodged it and disappeared into the trees. After a moment he burst from them, leaping at her throat with one sword flung out at her face, but she caught it and twisted him lightly, sending the rebel crashing into the railing of her ship. 

He stood and wiped a small trail of blood from his lip.

"Looks like I underestimated you princess."

Azula laughed at the pet name and spun an arc of flame around her in a childish display of abilities.

"And I you little boy."

He came at her again, hook swords twirling through the air as she sought to block every advance with a flaming fist. Once she was nearly cut and once he was nearly singed but neither could gain an edge on the other. He pushed her away with crossed swords and she herself allowed the motion to push her back several feet where they glared at each other.

"What's a strong fighter like you doing this deep into my woods?"

She looked at him, taking strong breaths to fuel her fire.

"I'm seeking the Avatar and my brother."

He grinned. "The Avatar has long been gone from here. He nearly helped me clear the Fire Nation from this valley until he and the Water brat realized that it would hurt the villagers too."

Nearly losing her stance, she was astonished. "He was here? Then you must know where he was going and you will tell me!"

He snorted and leaned back, hook-swords easing. "Why should I?"

Zula tilted her head, knowing threats wouldn't be enough and she couldn't very well defeat him in a fair fight. Then it dawned upon her.

"I'll clear the Fire Nation from this valley…within the hour…if you promise to help me capture the Avatar."

The boy grinned. "I'll think about it…_if_ you can do as you promise."

She hissed in anger but wouldn't fall for his bait. "I can do as I promise, but only if you agree to my terms."

He seemed to consider for a moment. "All right, I'll help you capture the Avatar if you get rid of the Fire Nation _and_ leave the girl he's traveling with to me. She and I have some unfinished business."

She nodded. "Agreed."

The boy held out his hand and Azula sighed as she took his hand in her own, sealing their pact. After a moment he didn't seem to want to let her go and she allowed the heat to flow into her palm. He leaped back with a yelp and glared at her.

"Just so you know we aren't friends." She smirked.

He growled his annoyance but she smiled. "Show me to the village."

Again he grinned. "I think introductions should be made first. My name is Jet."

She tossed her head annoyed. "Princess Azula. Now we know each other. Show me to the village! I'm eager to be on my way with you in tow if I must."

* * *

Ziri sighed and watched his sister in the fading sunlight. It had been nearly two days since they'd run away from Cascata, and she was exhausted. They had done nothing but run since that fateful night, the elks never complaining or disobeying a command. 

Now Zana was curled up next to Midori and she had snuggled into the elk's fur for warmth. They'd left so suddenly that they had nothing, only the grim hope that they were going in the right direction.

Tokul, Ziri's elk, was laying behind him, giving him something to lean on as he thought back on the eventful 36 hours that had unfolded. Tokul watched him ceaselessly and Ziri knew the elk would not rest until he did, despite how tired the poor beast was.

For the sake of the elk, Ziri stretched out on the unforgiving ground and moved closer to the warmth of Tokul's fur. The elk pulled him a bit closer before laying down his antlered head.

But even trapped in this cocoon of unwavering protection, Ziri could not sleep. How could he when from within his own body came the greatest danger, from the fire he was born with? Unwillingly, he looked at his hand, now wound tightly in Tokul's thick neck fur. He knew if he concentrated that fire would burst from the hand, burning his only friend. What happened if he could not control it?

Tears leapt unbidden to his eyes. Midori had accepted him after he had proven himself to be the brother she'd known and grown up with. This was hardly a fitting sixteenth birthday present to her, the event barely three days off, and she had been stripped from her home and sent on the run.

Silently, he cried into the fur of his only and closest friend, the only one he knew and trusted not to abandon him. He thought of the woman he'd called mother for so many years. Why had she taken him in? Did she know who he was? All the answers to these questions had died first with his mother and then with his aunt.

So many times his said 'mother' had promised him that no one loved him more than she did, and this memory brought another wave of tears from the heart broken boy.

"Why," he whispered brokenly. "…Did you love me when you didn't have to?"

* * *

Jet nodded to the princess and promptly leapt off the ship, presumably to lead her to the village. Azula deployed the anchor before following him. The way he led her seemed to be excessively confusing to make sure she couldn't find her way back without him, but unknown to him, every tree she touched came away with a small scorch mark. She wouldn't be taken advantage off. 

Finally, he parted the branches on a tree before them.

"There's the village."

Azula nodded. "All right. Stay here. I'll be right back."

Jet shook his head. "No. I'm coming with you. For all I know you could be giving those bastards specific orders to burn the forest down."

She smiled, but there was no warmth in it. "Why would I do that?"

_Stupid Earth Kingdom brat. Now I might have to change my plan a bit. _

Slowly, a new plan formed its way into her brilliant mind and her smile broadened slightly.

"All right Seth."

"It's Jet."

She shook her head. "As if it matters. Does your pathetic little rebel group have a name or are you just the nameless patrol of idiots?"

Jet glowered at her. "We're the Freedom Fighters."

Azula snorted. "How original. Come on then."

Without a second thought she walked down the hill and into the Earth Kingdom village. It didn't take her long to locate a high-ranking official. With the rebel right behind her, she walked directly up to him and jabbed two fingers into his chest.

"You, are you the commanding officer of this rat-trap?"

He stared at her and then recognized the flame emblem she always wore in her hair.

"Yes, your Highness, I am."

"Good." She smirked. "Do you realize how much trouble you've caused me?"

He looked horrified at the prospect that he might have caused her to stub her toe, let alone hinder her in some great deed. She decided this could be fun.

"My father and I have been using the Freedom Fighters as Earth Kingdom spies for a long time now…"

"But your Highness…"

"Shut up. Believe me, it's true. Why we would've told the likes of you escapes me so keep your mindless drivel to yourself."

Behind her, Jet smirked. He could begin to like this girl.

"With your attempts to eradicate this feigned rebel group, you've interfered several times with secret missions that I and my carefully selected crews have been sent to complete. You've interfered with our plans to invade Ba Sing Se itself!"

If there was any color left in the officer's face, it left then. Azula couldn't help it, this was too fun! She stepped back and crossed her arms over her chest.

"My father decided that it was best if a new better-trained corps took up post here. They are already en-route, soldiers hand picked by my father."

"But your Highness…"

She narrowed her golden eyes on the officer. "Do you dare to question my father's orders? Do you dare to question me directly? You will do as you are ordered! There is a ship waiting for you and your men in the river. You are to be gone from this miserable village by dawn and you are to report to Kusho Di for training. If you do not report, you will all be counted as deserters and treated as such. Have I made myself clear?"

Every Fire Nation soldier in the square gave her a quick bow. She nodded in affirmation.

"Now get to it before I decide to transfer you all to the front lines of the Northern Water Tribe siege!"

They scattered and Azula grinned triumphantly at the rebel. Jet returned her smile.

"See? That was all you had to do little boy."

His smile grew a little wider. "Drop in on the Fire Nation Princess and make a deal with her? Perhaps that is something I should do more often."

She smirked and gave a derisive snort. "Just tell me where the Avatar is headed."

He smirked. "You aren't getting off that easy. I'm coming with you."

Her smirk vanished. "That was not part of our deal."

His smile, however, widened. "If I remember correctly you said you were 'eager to be on your way with me in tow if you must.'"

Azula silently cursed. "Fine."

"Good. Now let me go get a few things along with a few men."

"All…Hang on one moment! I did not agree to transport your rebel friends! What's your name...Hat! Get back here!"

But he was already leaping laughingly into the trees and it was all Azula could do to keep up on foot.

* * *

As the sun set, it began to ran in a small Earth Kingdom town perhaps a ferry ride and a day's walk south of Kyoshi Island. A woman stood in the rain at the corner of an alley, a dark cloak covering her face, the rain soaking through the dark green wool until she was shivering from the deathly cold, but still she waited. 

At long last, her waiting paid off as a spindly man came up, holding a single scroll. She snatched it from him and opened it, checking to make sure it was what she wanted before she tossed the bag of gold at his feet. Being the Fire Lady for nearly 12 years had helped her in being cold and cruel.

Returning to the inn she'd purchased a room at,Ursa was finally able to discard the ruined cloak in the safety of her room. She practically fell onto the bed as she opened the scroll once more. Just as she had asked him to, her hired man had not taken the original scroll, but copied the contents onto sturdier paper.

Tears sprang to her eyes as she finally held the piece of parchment that would shape the destiny of the two people she held most dear.

She held the Prophecy of Four.

* * *

zk 

zk

**Yay Prophecy! You all get to see where that is going later. But Yay! I have introduced all the OCs I'm going to use. I think. Well, all the major ones. And for all you OC haters out there, I love OCs, that's why i'm an author and why I seek to create. So take up a pen and fight the battle for the freedom to dream. **


	13. Let Me Teach You

**AN: I don't own Avatar. Wow, I don't think I've ever said that before. **

**Also, to Deamon Fire, I'm going to scream because you never leave me a way to contact you. I want to let you know that when you said no detail escapes you, I took it as a challenge. Let's see if you can figure the whole thing out before the final battle. **

**That challenge also extends to everyone reading. The main challenge now is to figure out who the Son of Samir is. **

**(smacks animecatdragon, you're not allowed to compete) **

**You are all going to hate me. I get pleasure from other people's pain. But this chapter is pretty nice.(gives cookies to everyone)**

**So now, on to the chapter! **

* * *

"…_It's well-past midnight…and I'm awake with questions that won't…wait for daylight…separating fact from my imaginary fiction…on this shelf of my conviction…I need to find a place where you and I come face…I have needed…proof that you are truly with me…never leaving…did you really say that or is my mind playing games? Have I just gone insane? I've lied if I've denied how what you said affected me…"_

_To Know You, Nichole Nordeman_

**Chapter 13: Let Me Teach You**

The sun should've been setting but Ursa could not see it through the rain. It didn't matter thought, she had the Prophecy. So much rested on what was written here.

As she opened the scroll, the man's neat handwriting was easy to discern, but it was still written in the language of the ancients.Ursa nearly laughed, had she really expected a commoner like him to be schooled in a language she barely knew herself?

However, she knew enough to be able to translate the Prophecy and she settled down to work. It took her nearly three hours, and it was well into the night when she finished.

Sitting back, she began to read what she had written without a second thought. She'd waited so long.

**_Dream for one forgotten _**

**_Open to the light _**

**_Take what must be taken _**

**_Deny not the truth _**

**_Hold not to the times _**

**_Fear not the passage _**

**_Hold back not the rage _**

**_Pray for one whose time has come _**

**_Give not what cannot be lost _**

Ursa stared at the paper, tears filling her eyes. That just couldn't be it…it just couldn't. It didn't name the Four, and it didn't even mention the Son of Agni. All this time, wasted, and then hersobs caught in her throat as her heart remembered.

…_Be strong when faced with Fate…_

She had a letter to write and quickly cleared the desk of every paper save the Prophecy. She needed help.

* * *

Katara carefully cleaned the fish with Zuko's knife while he heated the water to cook it. She brought the fish to him where he knelt by the fire and he expertly carved the meat from the tiny bones, placed it in the small gourd they used, and added a few spices he'd procured from the land around them. 

While Zuko was doing this, Katara cleaned the knife and then sat down near him beside the fire. She bit her lip, but she wanted to know, and the only way to know is to ask.

"Zuko…"

He glanced at her and then returned his gaze to what he was doing and she knew she could continue.

"How does capturing Aang restore your honor?"

"You already asked me that."

"And you said you'd tell me later. Will you tell me now?"

He sighed, added something to the gourd and sat back on his heels, letting his hands rest relaxed on his thighs. His gaze turned upward, and then he closed his eyes. For a moment, she believed he wouldn't tell her; postpone it a little while longer.

"I will tell you, but you must not say anything until I am done." He drew a shuddering breath. "The answer to your question is coupled with another event that pains me even to think about, so I must finish unhindered or I won't be able to."

She nodded, and it was as if he had seen her, for he began.

"When I was fourteen, I joined my uncle in a war chamber as my father and several of his generals were discussing the next move in the war. One of the generals wanted to use a new regiment to distract the Earth Kingdom's main force while our best moved in. I thought this was wrong, to sacrifice these warriors, and I spoke out against his plan, but it was not my place to speak. In doing this, I disrespected the general and the only way to solve this was an Agni Kai, a Fire Duel."

Zuko straightened as he sat, and Katara waited breathlessly for him to continue.

"I looked at the general and declared that I was not afraid. I wasn't, but what I did not understand was that by speaking out in the Fire Lord's chamber that I had not disrespected the general but the Fire Lord himself…"

Zuko took another breath to steady his reserve. Katara stared at him wide-eyes, unable to believe until he said it.

"I would have to duel my own father."

It was several minutes before Zuko continued, and when he did, his voice had a tremble to it that told Katara just how much it was taking for him to tell her the next part.

"No one told me that I was going to duel my father, and I didn't know until I turned around and saw him. I couldn't even move; I couldn't fight him, I just couldn't. I tried everything I knew, I apologized, I begged for mercy, I…"

He turned his head. "It did nothing. He said…He said…'You will learn respect and suffering will be your teacher.' Then…he…"

Zuko raised a hand and touched his scar, and Katara gasped.

"No," she couldn't help it, it slipped out. "Not your own father…"

He nodded and then continued. "That was the last time I saw my father. When I was laying in the healer's wing, in shock and in pain, a soldier, _a soldier_, came and told me that by refusing to fight I had shown great weakness and I was banished forthwith from the Fire Nation. I could only return if I captured the Avatar. If I returned without him, I would be arrested and executed as a traitor."

This came out in a rush, as if Zuko just didn't want to think about it. Slow tears cascaded their way from Katara's sapphire eyes.

"You see Katara, capturing the Avatar is all I have left."

"No!" She nearly shouted it and Zuko looked at her. "There's another way!"

Katara had been thinking about it since Shasa had first told her that she would marry Zuko.

"You could join us!"

He gaped at her. "What? Has the heat gotten to you?"

"No," she shook her head. "It could work. I always knew you had a good heart and you just confirmed it. You could join us, teach Aang fire-bending, and when he defeats Ozai, you'll be Fire Lord. You're the heir! The Fire Nation would have to…"

He rested his elbow on his knee and then his head on his hand. "Not really. My sister could take the throne."

Katara sat back. "From what I've seen of the Fire Nation, would they really pick a princess over a prince?"

He smirked. "It's doubtful."

"See?"

Zuko said nothing but returned to the fish.

Nothing more was said as they ate and eventually they bedded down together in the hut. Zuko sat with his back against the wall, prepared to sleep that way when Katara took up the tiger-skin blanket and lay down next to him.

She drew the blanket around them both as he watched her, wide-eyed, and she rested her head against his shoulder, letting her eyes drift shut. Slowly, ever so slowly, he placed an arm around her, drawing her closer, and she didn't mind.

The silence drew out, and she was more afraid to break it than she was to let it go.

"Katara?"

She let out a slow breath. "Yes?"

"Before…you said you would never leave me…"

She smiled, he'd been listening. "Yes, I did, and I won't. That's what…"

She paused. She had been going to say friends, but really, was he her friend? This was Zuko! But then again, he'd been so different since they'd come here.

"That's what friends do Zuko."

Zuko's eyes snapped open from where they had rested moments before.

_She couldn't have said that! _His mind screamed, and yet she had.

"Friends?"

She nodded against him. "Friends, just friends mind you, despite what Agni and Shasa said."

_I love Aang…_

He very nearly laughed. "I agree."

This was said in a rush as if he'd wanted to say it for a while; Katara smiled and was very nearly gone when a few minutes later, just as she drifted off to sleep, she heard Zuko whisper, his voice sleep-laden.

"Friends."

Mika got up and curled up in the small space between them on top of the blanket. Zuko placed a hand on the young tiger cub's back, and soon they were all asleep.

* * *

Stars danced across the sky in their own shimmering light, responding to the movements of their mistress. Keilantra moved across the fathomless depths of the sky in nothing more than ecstasy. She loved her world and every part of it. 

She saw a bison soaring beneath her, and transformed into a black hawk the size of a dragon and flew down to investigate. In the saddle of the bison was a young Water Tribe boy who kept muttering in his sleep and a young Air Nomad with the traditional blue tattoos evident on his hands, head, and feet.

Instead of bothering those sleeping, she moved to the head of the bison and landed next to a girl who appeared to be a mixture of Earth and Air Nations. The girl smiled at her when she landed.

"Hello Keilantra."

She nodded to the young Kioko before winging on her way. Kioko smiled as she watched the black hawk disappear into the night then returned to guiding Appa to her home.

It wouldn't be much longer, and then she could see her father again. Kioko urged Appa on, excited. It had been so long since she'd seen her father.

Suddenly, she felt something in her heart, a plaintive cry.

"The dragons!" she cried out.

Aang sat up when Kioko cried out. "Kioko! What's wrong?"

"The dragons!" she shouted again and she pulled on the reins. Instantly the huge bison turned and began to fly directly towards the rising sun.

"Dragons?" Sokka woke up shouting.

"I thought we were looking for your village!"

Kioko turned around and glared at Sokka. "If the dragons get loose this whole world will be in trouble!"

Aang stared at her. "What are you talking about? Avatar Roku had a dragon and it wasn't a problem."

Kioko flinched.

"You don't understand! Dragons don't like to be used. Once they would form mutual bonds with benders, but then Solzen used those in his army that were bonded to reach the Air Temples and wipe out the Nomads. Dragons sought a way to get away from the humans, for they could not stand the slaughter, but they were dependent upon us. They were dying, killing themselves rather than killing others. But Agni stepped in and saved several hatches of eggs before the adults could kill them. He took them to his home and raised them and they live in a place that no one without a deep affiliation with the Spirit World can reach. Right now, they're in trouble, I don't know why, but I know who will!"

And so Aang allowed her to guide Appa towards the rising sun. He didn't know what she was doing or why, but the Kioko he'd known for the past few days was no longer there. She sat on the bison's head, glaring forward, undaunted by the growing rays.

He couldn't see it, but the emerald on her ring had begun to glow sharply as they grew closer to the sun.

"Hold on to something!" she cried.

The world grew in front of them grew fuzzy, as if a heat wave were passing, and it was believable given their proximity to the sun, but then before them, through the wave, appeared a huge golden palace which Kioko was flying them directly towards.

Spires of crystal rose into the sky against a clear background, the sun that shouldn't been directly behind them appeared far away, and the searing heat of moments before now felt like mid-spring. They landed on a patch of grass in front of the palace that didn't seem to have any support to it, and the cascades of a waterfall disappeared into nothingness.

Sokka and Aang looked around in awe while Kioko was already halfway up the steps.

"How is this possible?" The young Avatar inquired.

Kioko smiled. "We are on the border of the Spirit World and Aye, in the palace of Agni. We are inside the sun."

* * *

Katara woke and walked out to find Zuko calmly sitting, watching the sun rise. She yawned and stretched before going to sit beside him. 

"Sleep well?"

He nodded. "You?"

She smiled in surprise. "Yes, you have a very comfortable shoulder."

He smiled sheepishly, his face still turned towards the sun, and she laughed.

"All right. Take off your pants."

Zuko's jaw dropped and he stared at her. Katara reviewed what she had just said and burst into laughter.

"Not what I meant! I'm going to do laundry today."

Zuko laughed. "Oh. For a moment there…"

She nodded, still laughing and walked over to the stream. There she shed her outer tunic, skirt, and leggings. She knelt by the river in nothing but her underclothes and felt extremely self-conscious, though she tried not to show it.

Folding her clothes carefully to make it easier to wash them, she was surprised when Zuko sat down next to her. He also was wearing only his underclothes and she took the black pants from him and folded them with her own.

"Anything I can do?"

She glanced up, he was just looking at her, meeting her gaze rather than looking at her body, and she smiled.

"Could you heat the water for me?"

He smiled and placed a hand in the water. A moment later steam rose from the stream. Katara smiled as she went to work. She slipped her whole body into the stream, welcoming the warm water, and scrubbed the clothes against a rock. Zuko sat by the stream and watched her, saying nothing.

* * *

Kioko led the way through the palace while Sokka and Aang tried to take in the whole place and keep up with her at the same time. 

"Agni! Agni where are you?"

Kioko paused before racing up a staircase.

"How can you be asleep? The dragons are calling!"

She plunged through a golden ornately carved and Aang, who'd left Sokka far behind in his efforts to keep up with Kioko, was astonished to find that they'd just barreled into the Fire God's bedroom.

Luckily enough, it was empty.

"Agni!"

Kioko crossed her arms over her chest and glared about the room.

"Where is he?"

"Kioko?"

The voice was familiar to Aang and distinctly female. Kioko was a green blur as she flew past him and into the arms of a blue clad woman standing in the doorway who knelt to receive her.

"Kioko, what are you doing here?"

"The dragons are calling Shasa. Where's Agni?"

Tears shone in Shasa's eyes. "He can't return even this close to Aye. The others forbid it."

Kioko gave a short cry and slammed her fist against the Water Goddess's shoulder, but the goddess didn't even flinch.

"It's not fair! The dragons need him!"

* * *

Sokka, meanwhile, had been randomly opening doors which usually just showed the usual junk, empty rooms, or portals that seemed to lead to different parts of the Fire Nation. But one door opened to reveal a grassy plain. 

He couldn't help it, he stepped through, careful to leave the door partially open. Walking through the grass, the plain appeared deserted. Sokka hoped it wasn't somewhere in the Fire Nation like all the others were. That would be a bit hard to explain if he was caught by Fire Nation soldiers.

As he walked around, he got the distinct impression that he was being watched, but when he looked around there was no one. Once he saw a faint rustle in the trees above him, but it didn't seem dangerous. In fact, the entire place had a calming atmosphere.

Suddenly, Sokka nearly stumbled over a blue-tinted opaque rock. On closer inspection, it didn't seem to be a rock at all. He picked it up and turned it over in hands. It was cold, and for some reason he wrapped his arms around it and held it close to his chest.

The Water Tribe boy nearly jumped ten feet into the air when he felt something gnawing on his pocket. He turned around and at his feet was a small crimson dragon. It looked at him with large golden eyes; it couldn't have been much bigger than a large cat. Sokka reached into his pocket and pulled out the seal jerky that had been in his pocket and broke off a piece which he then offered to the dragon who took it eagerly.

Instantly Sokka was surrounded by dragons of all sizes. He passed out the jerky until he had no more and then they didn't seem to mind. Some of the smaller ones seemed intent of pulling him into a game he didn't understand, visions of color and emotion dancing through his head.

"Sokka!"

He turned around to see Kioko, Aang, and a woman he recognized as the goddess Shasa coming up the hill towards him. The dragons swarmed around them as Kioko and Shasa passed out bits of meat to them.

A loud crack resounded around him but the three now feeding the dragons didn't seem to notice. Sokka looked down at the blue stone he was holding and now realized what it was as a large section of it was forced from the rest and a miniscule head popped out.

A tiny blue dragon had just hatched in his hands. Their eyes met and suddenly Sokka felt complete, like everything in the world would go right from here on out. The dragon pulled itself from the rest of the shell with his help and then curled up against him.

Kioko walked up and smiled. "Well, Sokka, looks like you now have a newborn dragon to take care of."

Sokka could only smile.

* * *

When she was done, she laid the clothes out on the rocks to dry. Katara turned to find Zuko watching her. Glancing down at herself, she couldn't figure out why, so she just shrugged. 

"C'mon Zuko! The water's great!" She splashed him for emphasis, but he just shook the water from his hair and frowned.

"I don't like water."

Katara frowned. "Why not?"

"Because I can't swim." She smiled.

"Then I'll teach you."

She walked out of the water and led the way upstream to where the water gathered in a pool beneath the waterfall. She waded into the pool and tested the depth, which was about neck deep on her. In the center she treaded water. Zuko stood on the shore.

For a moment, Katara forgot all about the swimming lesson and could only admire the prince's physique. His body was muscular, but not overly so. There was a small white scar on his right shoulder, but other than that and the scar over his eye, his body was unblemished.

Katara blushed and looked away. Slowly, she took out her braid and shook her hair loose.

Zuko gaped. He'd never seen the girl with her hair down, and even before he'd believed she was beautiful, but now she truly looked like the daughter of a goddess.

"Come on in Zuko."

He flinched and shook his head. Katara dove underwater and when she surfaced, her loose hair clung to her body even as she shook the water from her eyes. She waded over and took his hands in her own, slowly leading him into the water, and he found it hard to resist her calming touch.

It wasn't until he was waist deep in the water that he pulled away. Katara put her hands on her hips.

"Zuko, you can't learn to swim in water this shallow."

"Shallow! Who said I wanted to learn to swim anyway?"

She grabbed his hand again. "It could save your life one day."

Zuko thought back to that day when Agni had to save him from the unforgiving ocean and reluctantly followed Katara into the deeper water.

* * *

They spent an hour, with Zuko floundering about and Katara often having to water-bend around him to make him feel secure. Eventually, she got Zuko to be comfortable in the water. He treaded water mostly, but when he did swim, his strokes were smoothing out, rather than being desperate as they were when they began.

* * *

Katara and Zuko crawled out of the water and sat on the sandy shore, allowing the sun to dry them. 

Zuko smiled. "That was…fun…I think."

Katara nodded. "It was. It was lots of fun."

She looked at him, the sun was reflecting off the water that still clung to his near-naked body, and she felt the water running in rivulets down her back from her still-wet hair.

"If you joined us, we could do this every day."

Zuko's eyes softened but his smile disappeared. "Must you push that?"

"Zuko, I just want to help you."

"Capturing the Avatar is the only way my father will ever look at me straight again!"

Katara leaned towards Zuko, tears forming in her eyes.

"Zuko, your father does not love you!"

He turned and stared at her open-mouthed. Tears cascaded down her face.

"I hate to say it Zuko but you know it is true. And you can't make him love you!"

"I can try Katara!" His voice softened as his own tears tried to fall. "I can try…"

She grasped his hand. "Zuko, I care about you. Aang has told us several times about how he believes you have a good heart and you confirmed it in my eyes last night. Please…let me help you…"

Zuko stood and walked a little ways away.

"You don't understand Katara. What I do…what I've done…who I am…It's all I know how to do. From the time I was three I was raised to be a great warrior, learning how to use different weapons, practicing my bending, studying military strategy and reviewing history so I don't repeat it."

She stood and walked over to him and when she placed a hand on his shoulder, he didn't pull away.

"Katara…I don't know how to be who you want me to be."

She walked around to stand in front of him and slowly hugged him. After a moment, he returned the embrace.

"Then let me teach you."

Katara leaned back and looked up, only then realizing just how close they were. Zuko's eyes were shining particularly brightly, and the scar which had once frightened her only evoked sympathy and a strong want to help. Could she save that heart within him?

"Let me teach you…" she repeated, barely above a whisper.

His arms tightened around her, not clinging or threatening, and she placed her hands on his shoulders. The water ran off them both, tiny glistening drops clinging to the short growth that now covered his head and dripping from her long locks. Their faces were almost touching, and the sunlight reflected off his golden eyes.

"Never leave me…"

It was a question, not a statement, and she smiled. Slowly, very slowly, she reached a hand up and caressed his scarred cheek. His eyes softened, shimmering with unshed tears.

_Yes Zuko, someone cares about you. _

"Never…"

They drew closer, if that was possible. Her lips were barely an inch from his, and she didn't care.

"Teach me…" he whispered, his lips barely moving.

_Katara no! He's Prince Zuko! Listen to your head girl!_

She blinked. _My head…my head says to think of Aang…_

"Teach me…"

_But Katara, what does your heart say? _

"Teach me…" his eyes closed.

_My heart says to kiss Zuko…_

They drew closer.

* * *

The town was buzzing with excitement as always, buyers and sellers all bargaining as always. No one even noticed the two men that came in. They were both about the same height, but one had very dark brown hair, dark skin, and brilliant green eyes while the other was light-skinned, but not quite so as the Fire Nation, and had gray eyes and brilliantly silver hair. 

Mamoru and Samir walked together through the market-place, the sights and sounds a great deal for the two gods and new friends to handle all at once.

"No wonder Agni loves it here so much."

Mamoru nodded. "Yes, it's amazing."

A thick smell of delicious foods wafted through the air. Both of them stopped dead.

"How much money do we have?" Samir whispered.

"Enough." Mamoru replied.

Instantly they both rushed into the nearby inn. The maids couldn't serve them fast enough as they tasted real food for the first time. It was about a half hour before either of them spoke again.

Samir looked at Mamoru over the table. "I can't believe I've never eaten before."

Mamoru nodded with a smile. "Back to business. Agni wants us to find Zuko."

Samir nodded. "And we have to find my son. Somehow."

"Well, what do we know?"

Samir stared at the Earth God with skeptical eyes. "That he is within 11 and 17 years of age, and he's not Air or Fire Nation."

Mamoru gaped. "That's it?"

Samir nodded.

"Damn lecher." Mamoru muttered under his breath and the next thing he knew he had a face full of plum pudding.

"I heard that!"

Soon, both gods were laughing, and the maids smiled, sharing in their mirth for the simple fact that happiness was so rare.

* * *

They drew closer, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Within her the battle still raged, but neither side knew that Katara had already made her decision. 

"Teach me…" It was barely audible, a desperate plea that she heard with her heart rather than her ears.

"Yes Zuko."

He pressed his lips to her, sending a course of flames through them both, the likes of which neither had ever experienced.

Katara would not have been surprised if steam was rising from her body and she didn't care. What elated her most was the hindered passion she felt in his kiss. While Aang's kiss had been tender and happy, Zuko's was filled with raw need and insecurity as he pulled her close and held her, his arms like steel around her, and yet gentle, treating her as a delicate flower.

For Zuko, the world around them had ceased to exist. In one instant he forgot the pain and frustration that he had lived in for the past three years and sought the comfort she offered in her embrace. Her taste was something he'd never dreamed of experiencing let alone come into contact with. One arm snaked around her bare waist while his other hand cradled her head, he would never let her go.

She responded to his advances likewise, tangling her hands in his hair and pulling his head down, deepening the kiss. His tongue brushed her bottom lip and she parted her lips willingly, welcoming him. He touched a part of her spirit never before awakened…

Suddenly, it began to rain, and lightning cracked across the sky.

They broke apart and both looked up at the sky as torrents poured from the sky. Katara returned her gaze to Zuko as he looked up at the sky. He was smiling, his eyes closed, letting the rain falling over them. Slowly, he lowered his head and their gaze met once more.

Only then did Katara register what had just happened, but what was strange was that she just didn't mind his arms wrapped around her, she'd face the world tomorrow, but now there was only Zuko.

His lips descended on hers once more and nothing else in the world mattered.

**

* * *

zk **

zk

Zuko: I still think it should be the Prophecy of Five, not Four.

**Zula: (smacks Zuko) Stop reading ahead in the script!**

**Zuko: I didn't! Five is a prime number! Everything in science fiction stories are based on prime numbers!**

**Zula: (blinks) What'sa prime number? **

**Zuko: I'm not sure. But this guy was raving about them earlier. **

**Motaega: I was not raving. I was merely stressing the importance of prime numbers in the use of magic!**

**Tessokaida: You don't know anything about magic anyway. I'm the mage here!**

**Zuko and Zula: (blink)**


	14. Hiketsu: The Key of One Thousand Winds

**AN: I was originally going to call this chapter The Son of Samir, but then I decided that this would be cooler. **

**Results of last chapter's challenge: Who is the Son of Samir? Three people guessed correctly. But a lot of people surprised me with their guesses…**

**To clarify, Sokka is also Nen's son, but he didn't really inherit any special powers. So he and Katara are still full blood siblings. **

**

* * *

Tessokaida: If you don't figure out who the Son of Samir is after this chapter…something's wrong. **

**Elenea: Well, they didn't figure out who Kioko was and a lot of people thought she was a Mary Sue.**

**Tessokaida: Yeah, but still, you didn't give the readers too many clues about Kioko. You gave them plenty about…about the Son of Samir. **

**Elenea: True. **

**Motaega: (looks at beginning) Yay! Another plot!  
****Readers: O.O NOOOOOOOOoooooooo…!  
Motaega: O.o…**

**Tessokaida: Well, I hope everyone enjoyed the Zutara fluff last chapter.  
Motaega: Because it is the last…for a while at least. **

**Zuko: (steals script) …now…to see what happens in the next chapter…**

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* * *

**

Chapter 14: Hiketsu "**The Key of One Thousand Winds"**

The morning sun rose over the horizon, sending golden rays first across the oceans and then into the woods of the Earth Kingdom. The light speckled through the leaves and fell onto a sleeping bounty hunter and her rather dangerous pet.

Jun stirred softly, rolling onto her back. She wrinkled her brow against the growing sunlight and closed her eyes tightly in desperate move to remain asleep. Yet, it wouldn't be the sun that woke her this morning. Suddenly, she got the strong feeling that she was being watched.

Her eyes snapped open as her hand went to the dagger beneath her makeshift pillow, but she froze halfway there. Her own hazel eyes were staring into soft, inquisitive silver eyes that were approximately two inches away from her face. She blinked once, and the silver eyes blinked with her.

She then noticed that the silver eyes were framed by silver hair that was nearly white, short by most standards but still longish, which made his pale skin seem darker and soft features made up the face of a boy of about sixteen years that was now hovering over her. Only then did she feel the soft weight above her and reacted immediately, shoving him away from her with a loud cry.

He stumbled back away from her with a cry, surprise in his eyes. Only then did Jun get a good look at him. He was dressed in a loose white tunic and white pants that ended about six inches above his ankles and he was bare-footed. The sleeves of his tunic ended just below his elbows and she could see black characters inscribed on his wrists, the mimic of which encircled his ankles.

Jun drew her whip and cracked it once, determined to teach this boy a lesson about hovering too close to people like her. He didn't take a battle form, but he was tense, his silver eyes watching her every movement.

"I'll teach you a thing or two about getting too close to women." Jun snarled.

She expected some sort of retort or for him to defend himself against her accusation, but he said nothing, just watched her. She gritted her teeth and snapped the whip at him. To her surprise, fear and shock entered his eyes and he whirled to the side with a cry.

When he turned back towards her, she growled and spun her whip about her. The whimper he released did nothing to stem her temper. The whip snaked forward and though he tried to dodge it wrapped around his arm and Jun threw him to the ground with a flick of the wrist. Smirking, she turned to her pet.

"Shirshu, why didn't you…" her words were cut short by the reproachful look in her only friend's eyes. A short cry caused her to jerk around once more.

The boy had gotten up onto his knees and was now cradling the arm she'd struck to his chest. But that wasn't what had drawn Jun's attention.

He was _crying._

Jun was speechless as she stared open-mouthed at the boy. He had to be her age, and yet here he was sobbing like a small child.

'_He has the body of a teenager, but perhaps not the mind…?' _she thought. There could be no other explanation and suddenly her eyes softened. _'He looks just like Saeta before they took him away.'_

What made her decision for her Jun never understood, but the next thing she knew was that she had knelt in front of the crying boy and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry,"

The boy just sobbed harder, jerking his shoulder out of her hand. Jun bit her lip.

"Look here now, you frightened me. You shouldn't hover over people when they're sleeping. You see what happened? What if I had been a fire-bender?"

He looked up at her, his eyes watery. She raised a hand and wiped the tears from his cheeks.

"Everything's okay now?"

Suddenly, he lunged forward and wrapped his arms around her, a broad smile on his face.

"Obséfrim sci jre!"

She stared at him when he pulled away from her. Together they stood. Shirshu stood up, stretching and yawning. The boy ran over to Shirshu and stood directly in front of its nose. Jun gave a startled cry.

"Don't do that! He'll…"

But Shirshu did not attack the boy, merely sniffed him and shook himself. The boy ran and jumped onto the saddle on Shirshu's back.

"Haw Haw!" He shouted, kicking the sides of the beast as if spurring on a Komodo Rhino, causing Jun to laugh.

She climbed up behind him and took up the reins. He turned slightly and smiled at her, all traces of tears gone and the only reminder of their fight was the red mark across his arm, which was rapidly fading from body and mind.

"You want to travel with me don't you?"

He nodded, his smile never wavering.

"You aren't a fugitive by any chance? Because you know I'm a bounty hunter."

He nodded his head.

"You have no idea what I'm saying do you?"

He mimicked her facial expression, which was a hard scowl. Jun sighed.

"Well then who are you?"

He held up his wrist so she could read the writing on them.

"Spirit of all, the White Dragon rises."

Jun raised her head and stared at the boy. "You are the White Dragon?"

He laughed and nodded. Jun shrugged, the name meant nothing to her. Instead of turning the boy away, she clucked to Shirshu who started off at a run. She had plans and she doubted the boy would put a damper on them.

"I'll call you…Rou okay?"

He nodded again, laughing as Shirshu ran through the woods. Jun wondered what she had gotten herself into.

* * *

The next morning came too soon, the simple reminder that their living was hard enough and now they must continue to work to survive. 

Katara woke slowly and was reluctant to leave Zuko's arms, in which she'd fallen asleep the night before. They were still by the pool where she'd taught him to swim and now that she thought back, she couldn't quite remember everything that had happened after it started raining. She knew it was nothing incriminating, but she still wondered. Had she been that consumed by his presence?

After a moment, she forced herself to vacate his arms and stood and stretched. He remained lying on the ground, but now his face had contorted slightly, as if her absence frustrated him. Katara watched him for a moment and bit her lip, the memory of the night before coming back slowly, the kisses, the raw hunger, and finally exhausted from the sheer passion of their escapade, they'd collapsed in each other's arms.

Katara walked away, her mind a blur. Once things were perfectly clear but now she was confused about everything. For the first time in her life, her heart was torn two ways. On one side was Aang, tender, kind, happy and on the other was Zuko, rough, sharp, and angry. The choice should've been obvious to her, but it wasn't, and she feared it wouldn't be for a long time.

She found that their clothes had dried quickly even after the rain of the night before. After dressing, she headed over to the trap to see if they'd caught any fish for breakfast. They had and she drew one out and began cleaning it, hoping Zuko would wake soon to cook it.

* * *

Zuko's eyes fluttered as the sun taunted him into a conscious state. Slowly he opened his eyes and raised his head slightly, looking around. Katara was kneeling by the cold ashes of the previous fires, hard at work readying their breakfast for him to cook it. It seemed just like every other morning they'd spent together since he'd saved her from the tigress. 

Then he remembered the night before and the slights of her body language told him more as a thin blush crept across his face. He pushed himself to a sitting position, his eyes focused on nothing particular as long as he had his back to her.

Hadn't they distinctly agreed to only be friends? Wasn't she the one who had made that clear? Then she went and held him and looked at him that way until he'd lost himself in her eyes.

He had kissed her.

Well, couldn't he blame that on payback since she'd stolen his first kiss that day in the snow? Something he wouldn't lightly forget either, his lip still hurt from where she'd bitten him, and…

For some reason, neither anger nor revenge would harbor itself in his heart and he sighed in defeat.

He didn't know what to make of it, but he knew he couldn't ignore it, so he stood, brushing off the leaves and dirt from his skin. Turning, Zuko noticed she was once again fully dressed so he checked by the stream and found that his pants were dry as well, so he dressed and joined her by the dead coals.

With a flick of his wrist the coals burst into life, and Katara gave a startled cry. She hadn't even noticed him wake so absorbed had she been with her own thoughts.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

She looked up and met his eyes. That hadn't been as hard as she thought it was.

"It's all right. I know you didn't. I'm glad you're up. I was getting hungry."

He smiled and she nearly gasped. It was really the first time he'd smiled openly in front of her.

"Well, I wouldn't want you to eat the fish raw and get sick now would I? Then I'd have to waste my precious time taking care of you."

She threw a leaf at him, laughing at his joking tone.

"Your precious time? What are you going to do _Prince_ Zuko? You're stuck on an island with me!"

He laughed and took the gourd up so he could fetch some fresh water for them both. The awkward atmosphere left by last night faded away. Somehow they both agreed not to talk about it and continue on where they left off…as friends and nothing more.

As Zuko knelt by the water and allowed it to flow into the gourd, a sudden chill passed over him and he began to cough. Covering his mouth with a fist, he waited until it passed before going back to Katara with the water.

She eyed him. "Zuko are you feeling all right?"

For some reason he still felt cold but contributed it to the wind around them.

"Yes Katara, I'm fine."

Without hesitation Katara raised her hand to his forehead as if to check his temperature.

"I don't know Zuko. You're rather warm."

"I'm a fire-bender."

Katara at first just looked at him and then laughed. "I forgot. Your body temperature is naturally higher isn't it?"

He nodded before placing the gourd on the fire to heat.

"Then how will I know if you're sick?"

Zuko laughed.

"I haven't been sick since I was three, but you'll know if I am."

Katara nodded and accepted this easily. They cooked breakfast together and ate quickly. Both were surprised when Mika came trotting up with a rabbit in her jaws. Zuko smiled and took the rabbit after giving Mika congratulatory scratch behind her ears.

As Mika lay down between them, Katara marveled at how much the tiger cub had grown. She knew without a doubt that the cub that had once danced around her feet would floor her if Mika decided to play. Zuko didn't seem bothered by this fact, and he promptly stood and began playing with Mika, both of them rolling around the clearing.

Katara laughed as she watched them, amazed to see Zuko so carefree.

Zuko briefly stopped and met her gaze, and was shocked to see how soft they were. She smiled at him and he couldn't help but smile back. Suddenly something dawned on him and he walked over to her.

"Katara, there might be something we could use back at that village."

Her smile disappeared and she hung her head.

"I don't want to go back there."

"Katara…"

"I don't want to be reminded of what happened to them."

He sighed. "I'll go by myself then. One of us needs to check it out."

Katara's head snapped up.

"No! What if you get hurt or too cold like last time?"

Zuko stood. "I'm in better condition than I was last time. I'll be able to bend to keep myself warm. And Mika will stay here with you in case you need her."

"And if you get hurt?"

He looked around and finally pointed. "If I'm not back by the time the sun gets to that tree, send Mika to get me."

"But…"

His old anger suddenly resurfaced. "Look, I'm going. You said you don't want to go so you stay here. I won't force you to go, but you won't stop me."

With that, he turned on his heel and marched off, leaving Katara to stare at his back open-mouthed.

* * *

Azula was plotting their course when the rebel brat decided to join her in navigations. 

"What are you doing princess?"

She took a deep breath and let it out very slowly.

"I am plotting the course that you were supposed to help me with. Now I must contend with you and your useless minions until we get to the next port."

Jet yawned and stretched. "I gave you your information."

"Which proved to be of no use to me! The Avatar has already reached the North Pole and left! Therefore your purpose was nonexistent!"

Jet glared at the top of her head as she continued to plot a new course and then sighed.

"Look princess, I know ALL of their plans, not just that. If he's already mastered water-bending, they'll be headed to Omashu. I believe that Aang has a friend there who will teach him earth-bending."

Azula looked up and met his gaze, searching his eyes for any hint of fraud. Finding none, she smiled. She picked up the map she'd been plotting and promptly balled it up. Turning, she threw it as hard as she could at the two men who had just walked in. It hit _her _soldier rather than the large rebel beside him.

Jet laughed. "Excellent aim."

She turned and glared at him for a moment, and then she smirked.

"What are you talking about? I missed."

Jet looked at her and then burst into laughter. "We're two of a kind princess."

"Stop calling me that." Azula hissed and Jet tilted his head.

"But you are a princess."

She whirled on him. "And you will treat me with the proper respect. You will call me either Your Highness or Princess Azula. Nothing else will do."

Jet smirked. "Fine, on one condition."

Azula snarled. "And what is that?"

He leaned forward as he placed on hand on the table Azula was seconds from incinerating.

"What," he paused and smirked. "…Is my name?"

She stared at him, her jaw dropping. _'What IS his name?' _

Azula bit her lip. "Set?"

Jet's smirk grew wider. "Wrong answer…princess."

With that he turned, motioned to Pipsqueak, and they left, seconds before Azula's outcry filled the entire room with smoke and ash. Amidst the chaos, the helmsman managed to hear her say.

"Full steam for Omashu!"

* * *

Aang was sitting on Appa's head, guiding the bison in the direction Kioko had said that her village laid. The girl herself was now curled up like a cat in a corner of the saddle. Sokka was calmly feeding bits of a rabbit he had caught earlier to the baby dragon. 

For a while Aang watched Sokka, noting the fatherly care he showed towards the young dragon.

"What are you going to name her Sokka?"

"Nakara."

"Nakara? Why Nakara?"

Sokka shrugged. "I think that's what she wants to be called."

In response, Nakara gave a small mew and nudged Sokka's hand, asking for another small piece of meat, which he readily gave to her.

Kioko woke and yawned, stretching her arms to the sky not far above their heads.

"Where are we?"

Aang smiled. "Look around."

She did so and returned his smile. "We're almost to my home."

Kioko went and sat next to him on Appa's head, the wind picking at her long brown hair. Aang smiled at her.

"Hey, after we spend some time with your village, will you come with us and help us find Katara?"

She just looked at him and he looked down. "I feel so guilty that we haven't been looking for her, and I wonder every night if she's okay, sometimes I stay up all night just thinking about her."

Kioko's eyes softened. "You think you love her don't you?"

Aang glanced up and then looked down again just as quickly.

"Yes, I do."

Kioko raised her eyes to the mid-morning sun and Aang watched her. What her thoughts were he didn't know, but she seemed to be extremely preoccupied. She raised her right hand and looked at the emerald ring on her middle finger and sighed.

"Kioko?"

She looked at him. "Where did you get that?"

"This?" she motioned her hand, allowing the emerald to catch the light.

"I found it at an Air Temple."

He stared at her. "An Air Temple?"

She nodded and sighed again.

"It is the Shòu, forged to be wielded by the Daughter of Kaia."

Aang frowned, his mood now reflecting her slightly depressed aura.

"That's you isn't it? You are the Daughter of Kaia."

Kioko looked at him before nodding. "Yes, Kaia is my mommy."

Aang tilted his head. "It all makes sense now. That's how you knew Agni and Shasa, that's how you were affiliated with the Spirit World, and how you knew the dragons."

Kioko nodded. "I was a very little girl when Agni visited me for the first time in my village. He took me for a ride on his back through the skies and told me if I ever needed anything, just to ask. He said that my mommy, Kaia, had asked him to look after me. Agni was my very first and very best friend."

Kioko sighed again. "But now that Agni isn't allowed into Aye, which is what the gods call our world, I'm sad. I miss him; he always made me happy. The Prophecy always confused me, but I always thought he'd be there to help me understand."

Aang's head snapped up. "The Prophecy? What Prophecy?"

"The Prophecy of Four, which states that four powerful beings, one from each element, children of those forgotten, will rise to end the war of nations."

A wave of relief flooded through Aang.

"You mean I don't have to beat the Fire Lord by myself?"

Kioko smiled at him, her eyes lighting up for the first time. "Aang, if the Prophecy is right, you might not have to face the Fire Lord at all! According to the Prophecy, the final battle will belong to the Four."

Aang smiled. "I sure hope the Prophecy is true. I'd like to lose some of this pressure."

Kioko smiled. "Yes, and you can imagine what it must be like to be one of the Four."

"Who are the Four?"

Kioko raised four fingers and counted off. "Well, there's me, the Daughter of Kaia, and there's the Daughter of Nen. Then there's the Son of Agni…"

Aang visibly stiffened.

"…and the Son of Samir. One from each element."

"Do you know who is who?"

Kioko shook her head and Aang gave a frustrated growl.

"But you grew up with Agni! You must know who his son is!"

Kioko shook her head again. "If it wasn't for the Prophecy, I wouldn't even know he had a son!"

Aang let out an angry sigh and focused his gaze ahead and Kioko smiled gently.

"Here, I'll guide Appa for a while. You go get some sleep; you look like you need it. We should reach my village soon."

Aang decided to take her up on her offer and went back to lie down in the saddle. Sokka gave him a wry look and rolled his eyes. Aang's heart was filled with turmoil but he must've been exhausted because he was asleep in…

* * *

Kioko sighed, barely sparing Aang a glance before turning her head to the landscape before her. There was so much pressure on the young Avatar, and she begrudged him none of his glory, but she knew what it was like to be a child prodigy. 

Everyone in her village had marveled when it became apparent that she could bend two elements. They had even thought that SHE was the Avatar for a little while, until someone pointed out that Water came next, Air did not repeat itself.

But she was one of the Four, whoever the other three were, and she had a part to play as yet. She wished she knew more though. Was the time for the Four to unite running out, or was there a higher power, higher than the gods at work here?

She did not know, but there was a warning in her heart that said something was going to happen.

And soon.

* * *

Zuko walked on through the woods, trying to push the girl from his mind and focus on the task ahead. But for some reason, the Water Tribe peasant wouldn't stop invading his thoughts. 

'_Gah, how dare she presume to command me?'_

'_**Oh, was that what she was doing? Looks to me like she was being concerned.'**_

'_She wants to manipulate me, just like everyone else. Manipulate me to her own devices.'_

'_**Her? I doubt that. What would a Water Tribe peasant want with the Fire Prince?'**_

'_That's all she is to me. A peasant, someone I must put up with until…'_

'_**Until what exactly?'**_

'_Until we get off this island. Then I can go back to what I was used to.'_

'_**Back to the pain, the frustration, the misery? She has helped you to experience happiness.'**_

'_I don't know happiness.'_

'_**You did last night.'**_

Zuko walked faster, staring at the barrier but not really seeing it as he passed through into Shasa's side of the Island of Misu.

'_Last night was…'_

'_**Was what? A mistake?'**_

'…'

'_**Or will you admit it affected you? She affects you.'**_

'_No one affects me, especially not her.' _

'…'

'_Do you dare deny it? Nothing will stop me from doing what needs to be done!'_

'…_**Then why do you not care about the Avatar anymore?'**_

Zuko stopped short, his eyes wide.

'………_I don't? ……but Aang…'_

But that little voice was right. The familiar spark of hope, of drive bordering on obsession did not spring up when he thought of all the reasons for which he must capture the Avatar.

'…_I called him Aang.'_

'_**She's changed you Zuko…will you deny it?'**_

Zuko allowed a small smile to penetrate.

"No, I won't deny it. She has shown me something I never thought I'd know, never understood, and it has indeed changed me."

'_**Love?'**_

He laughed. "Hardly. It's called friendship."

The voice faded, and Zuko surveyed the treacherous terrain around him. He'd have to keep his wits about him to make sure he didn't get trapped in a blizzard.

* * *

Upon reaching the village, he was startled by the transformation. Snow covered most of the remainder of the once proud homes, and any traces of the burnt bodies were gone. Zuko dug through the snow, searching for something, anything, that they could use. 

What he had told Katara was true; he was in much better condition now. He used his fire-bending to keep his body warm, but every now and then his chest caught and he coughed, the spasms getting steadily worse until he literally had to double over and wait for it to pass.

Perhaps she was right as well. Maybe he was getting sick. Well, now wasn't the time to think about it Zuko decided. The sky was clear and he headed out of the village now supplied with some dried foods, a couple packs with different tools in them, and a long coil of rope.

The sun was high overhead, probably near noon, and he should be getting back before Katara became worried and sent Mika after him, but something caught his eye around the edge of the glacier.

He walked around the jutting crystal of ice and the cool blue ocean lay out before him. His golden eyes grew wide and he dropped all that his arms were holding.

The waves of the ocean rolled softly in the breeze, the sun gleaming both off the seas and the snow upon the land. But this majesty and beauty was not what had caught Zuko's attention, for in the bay by the village was something that renewed his hope and determination.

It was a boat.

* * *

Iroh did not want to go back to the Fire Nation capital, Sozun. That was probably why he'd stopped in a large Fire Nation held port and given the crew a weeklong leave. Today was the last day of that leave, but he really didn't know what to tell them when they returned. He had no plan, no mission, nothing. 

He missed Zuko and his nephew's commanding presence. Even as a general he'd hated giving orders. He hated the responsibility that came with it and now he knew it was Agni's blood in him. The carefree and playful god had left quite an imprint on him, genetically and otherwise.

Suddenly, a red-tailed hawk swooped down from the sky and landed on the table by his teapot, a scroll attached to its leg. Iroh reached over and untied the scroll, unfurling it while the hawk preened.

It was a letter from someone he'd long thought dead.

Lieutenant Jee stepped out onto the deck just in time to see Iroh smile. The retired general and prince looked up and met the lieutenant's gaze.

"Please tell the helmsman to set a course for Shian when the crew returns."

Jee nodded. "Is it about Prince Zuko?" He asked, implying the letter.

Iroh's smile grew. "You could say that."

* * *

Katara was gravely worried about Zuko. She'd done everything around the clearing that she could and have even tried to climb a tree to gather some of the fruit at its top. The end result of this endeavor was the inside of her thighs scraped raw and a single fruit falling to belt her on the head before rolling down the hill. 

It had taken her barely an instant to heal the scrapes on her thighs, but now she was out of things to do. She'd kept the fire going and made lunch just in case Zuko returned in time to eat but it didn't look like he would.

What had made him snap at her this morning? They'd been fine and then he'd gotten defensive when she'd tried to show concern. Maybe she'd pushed too hard too fast. Yes, that was it. If she was going to truly free Zuko's heart, she'd have to take very small steps. First thing she would do when he got back was apologize.

If he came back that is. He could go back to ignoring her like he did when they first came to the island. Katara bit her lip, fearing that this was so. Her heart told her otherwise but she couldn't still the tiniest prick of apprehension.

Just as she'd nearly convinced herself he wouldn't return, she heard something bursting through the trees and Mika gave a happy cry. Zuko lunged into the clearing and grabbed her hands, hauling her to her feet.

"Zuko, what is it?" She cried.

He smiled broadly.

"Come see Katara! Come see! We'll get off this island yet!"

She followed him back to the barrier at a run, for it seemed Zuko couldn't slow down anyway. They barreled through the barrier and through the snow to the bay, where Katara was sent to her knees by the sight.

The boat in the harbor was in perfect condition, made to exact Water Tribe specifications, floating silently as the waves toyed with it. She and Zuko made their way onboard, investigating every inch of the ship. It seemed that the villagers had been preparing a voyage for the ship itself was stocked with food and supplies, ready to go.

Katara turned to Zuko and hugged him, seeking some way to express her exuberance. He wrapped his arms around her waist and spun her off her feet. When he set her back down she smiled up into his eyes.

"We can get off the island. Where should we go?"

He smiled again. "There's a map in one of the rooms. We're close to the North Pole, maybe a couple of days sailing with good winds."

Katara frowned. "Are you sure we should go to the North Pole? I doubt they'd welcome you too easily and we, as in Sokka, Aang, and I, were captured before they let us in."

Zuko's brow furrowed as he thought about this, unconsciously refusing to relinquish his grip on her waist, but Katara didn't notice, her arms still around his neck.

"I'll figure something out when we get there, but for now we need to get off this island."

Katara nodded in agreement, her thoughts filled with seeing her people again, apprehension at how they might receive Zuko so soon after the attack, and looking forward to taking a real bath.

They spent about three hours transferring what they thought they would need and what they wanted to keep to the boat, including the tiger-skin, Zuko's armor, and Mika of course.

The young tigress had no qualms about jumping on the boat with them and getting in their way as they tried to get ready to sail. Once everything was on board, Zuko spent a few minutes double checking everything including his plotted course.

Katara was standing on the bow when Zuko returned. "Ready to go?"

He nodded and started to jump off to push the boat into the water.

"Zuko?"

He looked over at her. "What?"

"You are coming with us aren't you?" She said with a sly smile and he nodded.

"Then why are you getting off?"

He stared at her strangely as if she should know exactly why he was getting off when she turned to the water behind them. With one smooth movement she brought the water in and raised the boat from the shore. Zuko gave a small cry as the boat lurched and then he laughed, holding on to the gunwale as the boat drifted towards the open sea.

"All right," Zuko started as he stepped back onto the deck. "Let's go."

And they were off.

Katara went below deck to explore while Zuko guided the ship out of the bay and onto the open ocean. She found a cage of small white birds and recognized them as messenger birds. Quickly, she wrote a letter to Aang and Sokka and attached it to the leg of one of the birds.

Zuko barely glanced at her as she carried the bird up to the deck. The ship was now eagerly plowing through the waves, guided by Zuko's steady hand. Katara smiled as she tossed the bird into the wind and watched it wing off towards the setting sun and distant mountains.

* * *

Kioko smiled and gave a happy cry as they entered the mountain range. The land below was much too treacherous with pitfalls and hidden cliffs to be traveled by foot, but they soared above it with ease. 

Nakara unfurled her ill-developed wings and leapt around the saddle while Sokka and Aang leaned over the edge, viewing the world beneath them.

It wasn't a village; it seemed to be the entire Air Nomad population hidden in one secluded mountain range.

* * *

Azula's ship had stopped briefly for supplies, and Jet told his men to return to the forest and protect the valley. Now he was alone with the Fire Nation crew, but he didn't feel threatened. Besides, the princess was intriguing and he didn't want his men to think he'd gone soft. He had given them specific instructions to inform the Freedom Fighters that he was working as a spy. 

Jet spotted Princess Azula making her way off alone into the woods and he followed her, more out of spite than curiosity or concern.

Azula walked through the woods, neither paying attention to where she was going or caring. All her focus was on the small amulet she was now holding. So far it had already cost several lives, was it really worth that much? What power did it hold that those men had been willing to so dearly pay for it?

Jet was following the princess when rustles in the trees around them caught his attention. He was had nearly been born of the trees, and could tell that someone foreign was among them, and it was neither he nor the princess.

Azula had reached a clearing when she was suddenly surrounded by warriors in black outfits. Only their eyes were visible and she recognized them as from the same background as those who had attacked her and Zhao at the shrine.

"Surrender the Hiketsu and you will not be harmed."

Once again she was dumbfounded. Again, she held up the amulet, but this time it had been bought with Fire Nation blood, and she would not give it up.

"No."

Each warrior drew twin broadswords.

"Then we must take it from you."

Azula brought her arms up in front of her, ready to send fire into their over-confident mouths. The first one lunged forward to attack.

The others lunged behind their leader, but several were stopped short by a pair of hook-swords wielded expertly.

"Jet!" Azula cried as she dodged blows, the amulet dangling from her wrist.

Soon the clearing was filled with the flashes of swords and bursts of fire. The black-clad warriors were impenetrable, and Azula had to think of something quick. She tore the amulet from her arm.

"Jet! Catch!"

Jet stepped on the shoulders of one of the ninjas in order to catch the amulet she tossed at him. Turning, he caught her gaze and she nodded to him.

"Go! And don't let them have that!"

Jet's brow furrowed. "Why not?"

Azula grinned. "They didn't say 'please'!"

Jet laughed, dodged a sword, and sprang into the trees. The black-clad ninjas followed him and Azula followed them, doing her best to pick them off.

* * *

Jet slipped the amulet around his neck and flew through the trees until one of the warriors collided with him and they both fell to the ground in a clearing. Soon he was surrounded by the ninjas and they all attacked at once. 

The one-time rebel put up a valiant fight but the warriors were too many and too well trained. Jet felt his swords jerked roughly from his hand and backed up against a tree, ready to fight them with only his hands. He would not let them get the amulet.

One, obviously the leader, stepped out from the circle formed around them.

"Give us the Hiketsu."

Jet had to breathe deeply, the adrenaline flowing quickly through his body, both hands resting against the bark of the tree.

"No."

The warrior sheathed his swords and crossed his arms.

"Why would you want it? You can't use it."

Jet gritted his teeth. "Why don't you tell me what it is I can't use?"

The warrior sighed.

"It is the Hiketsu, the Key of One Thousand Winds, forged to be wielded by the Son of Samir. It had been lost to us for many millennia, and now you will return it to us."

Jet raised his hands and placed one on each side of the amulet, about an inch away from the jewel itself.

"So, it sounds like it's pretty powerful. And only the Son of Samir can use it?"

"Yes, and we will keep it until he arises."

But Jet was no longer listening to what the warrior was saying, he was now focused only on the power he felt welling up within him.

What had made him place his hands exactly like that around the Hiketsu, what made him focus on it, what made him know that he could use it, he didn't know…but it would be one of the best decisions he'd ever made.

The wind began to blow around them, centering where Jet stood with his hands about a foot apart with the Hiketsu between them. A white light was showing from within the jewel and enveloped Jet with its increasingly powerful brilliance.

The warriors fell back, trying to shield themselves from the growing wind and light. Azula somehow knew she should stay out of the clearing, hovering just beyond the tree line.

The sphere of light and wind that had formed around the Hiketsu suddenly burst outward, sending the warriors flying through the air and trees, landing wherever the wind sent them, some even crashing into the roofs of the nearby village. The wind blew for several moments more and then died away as the light faded.

Azula burst into the clearing to go to Jet where he had fallen to his knees, his hands now resting on his thighs, the amulet hanging down inert on his chest. She placed a hand on his shoulder as she knelt on one knee, tilting her head down to meet his gaze.

Jet looked up and smiled at her.

"You remembered my name."

Azula couldn't help but smile.

* * *

**zk **

**zk**

**zk**

**Can you guess who the Son of Samir is now? Hehehe. **

**All right. I don't really have a new challenge unless you are really good at this. For those who want to try the new challenge is...**

**Who is the White Dragon? **

**The answer I'm looking for is not Rou, but one of the gods. And check back at the Prophecy for any more clues. I don't really expect you to get it unless you are animecatdragon. **

**NEXT CHAPTER: (New Feature: will give a quote from the next chapter and you can try and guess what happens)**

**The next chapter has a huge plot twist. Here's the quote.**

**"Twins, Iroh! Twins!"**

**End quote. Good Luck! **


	15. Secrets of the Spirits

**AN: WASN'T THE SEASON PREMEIRE AWESOME? I was so inspired! But, just a note, I'm going to proceed with this as I planned. That's their story, this is mine. Consider it an AU if we must. **

**Sokka + Hair down equals Hotness. **

**Nickelodeon + FanfictionequalsAvatar Season Premiere…or was I the only one who noticed?**

**

* * *

OK. This is going to be a fun chapter. **

**Heiki is a Japanese word for 'weapons' mentioned twice in the Prophecy.**

**By request, here is a list of the gods and their respective elements. **

**Alem…the father of the gods**

**Mamoru…Earth God…Married to Kaia**

**Kaia…Earth Goddess**

**Samir…Air God…Married to Makani**

**Makani…Air Goddess**

**Agni…Fire God…Married to Shasa**

**Shasa…Water Goddess**

**Nen…Water Goddess**

**

* * *

**

Chapter 15: Secrets of the Spirits

The sun rose on a new dawn, shining its light down on the Earth Kingdom town of Sharra. The residents of this modest city were up at the bright orb's first light, the markets beginning anew, those of the men who were earth-benders going to work in the northern mines and those not taking up trades in the market. Women went to their daily work while the children ran around pretending to be soldiers. It was a lovely day.

It was over the hill just south of the town that one of these many children spotted two elk coming. The beasts paused as several of the elder men of the town started up the hill to address the two riders. Many women and children followed these men and it was with great caution that they approached.

The two riders didn't appear to be a threat and as they neared, one suddenly slipped from the back of the elk unconscious, held by his wrists to the beast's neck where he had apparently tied himself to the elk.

The men rushed forward and cut the ropes binding the boy to the elk and gathered him up. The second rider, a girl, was also unconscious and tied to her elk. They were dressed in blue, as those from the Water Tribes, and the people of Sharra didn't hesitate to take them in.

* * *

As the sun broke over the Water Temple, Water Sage Qing-Yuan raised her head, her eyes tired. Turning slightly, she motioned for the black clad warrior behind her to speak. 

"My lady, we lost the Hiketsu."

Qing-Yuan sighed. "We cannot afford many more mistakes! If the Four rise and we…"

"The Son of Samir has risen."

She spun around, beholding the kneeling soldier with wide eyes.

"What?"

"That is how we lost the Hiketsu. It was used against us."

Qing-Yuan frowned, her brow furrowed. "Then the Four are coming into their birthright."

"It appears so my lady."

She seemed to contemplate this for a moment then…

"Well, why are you still here? We must locate the other Heiki before they fall into the wrong hands! And we must identify the other Three. Gods forbid that they too fall into the hands of the Fire Nation."

The ninja stood and bowed. "Of course my lady."

He quickly left, and Qing-Yuan sighed. She should've known better than to let the Daughter of Nen escape from her grasp so easily. And then the White Dragon had managed to get free of them. Time was of the essence now.

"Kuna."

Another black-clad warrior stepped forward.

"Yes my lady?"

"Find the White Dragon and bring him back to me."

"Yes my lady."

As he left to summon his men, Qing-Yuan glared at the small crystal around her neck.

"The power of the Four will be mine…very soon."

* * *

Aang woke promptly and stretched; eager to see his own people again. They'd arrived at sunset the previous day and their welcome had been exuberant, so much so that Nakara had squeaked and hidden in Sokka's shirt when the people began to cheer. 

Kioko came bursting through the cloth door and grabbed his hand.

"Come on! Everyone wants to meet you!"

Aang ran after Kioko as she raced outside and found that the number of people in this section of the mountain range had tripled with the news of his arrival. It was truly heaven for him after living for a year believing that he was the last air-bender.

Hundreds of air-benders now surrounded him, mimicking his moves and trying to figure out how he did the air scooter. Kioko just kind of hung back and let him handle things while she sat on the shoulders of a tall air-bender named Yato. Aang had met him the night before and it was in his home that they'd spent the night. Yato was Kioko's father.

Sokka seemed to be getting just as much attention from the people as Aang was. The Air Nomads hadn't had any contact with the other races in so long that many of the children had never seen someone with his skin and hair color before. He had to show them how his boomerang worked and spent hours describing the Northern and Southern Water Tribes.

Several older men came and separated Aang from the crowds. Sokka and Kioko quickly joined him as they introduced themselves as Elders, the equivalent of the monks of old. They said they had something to show him.

Yato joined them as they followed the Elders through the markets and villages to one of the mountains. Over time it appeared they had carved a temple into the mountain itself and it was into this temple that the Elders led Aang and company.

Inside was a vast room and in the center stood several stone tables arranged in a circle. The Elders paused in front of this stone circle and faced them.

"Young Avatar, the things we are about to make known to you we do not fully understand ourselves, and that is why we show you. It is your duty to know these things and try to decipher them."

Aang sighed. '_Enough with the duty already!'_ He nearly screamed, but instead he stepped forward, past the Elders and on to the tables themselves.

There were four tables, angled inward. A circle with a diameter of several feet centered in the space in the middle of the tables and extending many feet past the tables. There was writing covering every inch of the circle save for the tables, and to Aang the writing was as clear as day.

"It's the Prophecy!" he shouted and the Elders stared at him.

"You can read the writing?"

Aang nodded, bending slightly. Kioko bit her lip. "Not even I can read it Aang. How can you?"

Aang shrugged. "I don't know. I'm the Avatar I guess."

He walked over to the tables and found they all had the same line inscribed into them.

Unite as one the Heiki of the Four 

Below this line was an indentation in the stone, but each table bore a depression of a different size and shape, clearly fitted to hold something. Lines ran down the tables from these indentations, onto the floor and forward to form a circle within the tables, the only space not covered in writing.

"What is this place?" He heard someone say, but Aang wasn't quite sure.

He touched several of the characters on the tables and then he looked up. Above them was a great crystal, the size of the mountain itself. Locked within the crystal itself was the silhouette of a dragon.

* * *

Jun guided Shirshu back the way they'd come several days before. Rou was asleep, his head resting against her shoulder as they barreled through the woods. Jun knew where she was going, and wouldn't stop until she got there.

* * *

Katara woke late the second morning after they'd left the island to Mika's rough tongue on her face. The tiger cub seemed adamant that she awake and she followed Mika up the stairs onto the deck. 

Zuko stood at the helm, checking the compass every now and then. He glanced at her when she came up.

"We're making good time today. I think we'll be able to make up for yesterday's calm."

Katara nodded and stifled a yawn with her hand and Zuko laughed.

"I think we're both currently the victims of real beds."

Katara laughed and nodded. "All right, if I bring breakfast up here will you take a moment's break?"

Zuko smiled. "Sure."

Katara smiled and headed down to the galley, mixing them up some breakfast that comprised of thickly sliced bread, salted pemmican, and some fruity cider. When she returned, Zuko was happy enough to lock the wheel and together they sat on the gunwales and ate.

While Zuko was staring off into the distance, munching contently on the sandwich provided, Katara found herself evaluating the changes he'd undergone while on the island.

Since the tigress had torn his shirt to shreds, the sun had deepened the skin of his torso to a modest tan rather than the sickly pale of the Fire Nation. She'd stopped trying to imagine what he'd look like without his scar, for it seemed almost a part of him, especially now since she knew the story behind it. His hair had grown much longer, causing him to have developed a characteristic shake of the head to clear his bangs since the cloth he used to tie it up had long since been lost.

That's when she noticed it; the long locks that had once flowed over his shoulders were gone. His hair was shorter than Jet's had been.

"Zuko…your hair…"

He nodded.

"Why?"

"Because my long hair was a symbol of my status in the Fire Nation and my shaven head was a symbol of my banishment."

Katara's eyes softened at the pain she saw in his eyes. She supposed what he had done meant more to him than to her, but it was hard just to look into his eyes.

His character had changed as well; she'd noticed this more than ever in the past couple of days since they left the island. His temper, though still there, was more subdued and he seemed to be overall in a better mood. There were so many things she wanted to ask him, like if he was still going to try and capture Aang, but she was afraid to ask, afraid to ruin what she'd started.

It seemed that all he had needed, all he had wanted, was a friend, a position she'd been more than happy to fill. Then he had kissed her, and her world had turned upside down. Now she didn't know what to think, and didn't even know if it meant anything to him.

Zuko shivered. "Are you cold or is it just me?"

This snapped Katara from her thoughts, a piece of bread paused on the way to her mouth. It was chilly, but Zuko was acting like he was freezing. He hadn't even acted like this in the snow back on the island. She could even see the chill bumps rising on his skin.

"It is a bit chilly."

She put down her bread and reached over to rub his arms, see if she could warm him, but as soon as her hand touched his skin she recoiled sharply. He wasn't just warm now; his skin was _hot_.

"Zuko, you're sick."

He wrapped his arms around himself and shook his head. "I'm not."

Katara sighed. "You're burning up!"

"I'm a…"

"You have a fever! I can't even touch you!"

He shook his head again, now constantly shivering. "I'm not sick."

And he stood, walking back to the wheel and taking up his post. Katara sighed but didn't press the matter further.

* * *

The sun broke in through the window and danced throughout the room, defying all shadows and the sleep the two teenagers were trying to hold on to. 

Ziri woke slowly, the pain in his side the first thing he noticed and the fact that he was no longer on Tokul the second. He sat up slowly, taking in the world around him. Both he and Midori were in a clean but nondescript room, the walls earthen. The bed he lay in was modest with clean off-white bedclothes and a dark green blanket over top. Midori's bed was identical across the room, and she was still asleep.

He got to his feet just as slowly, the room spinning slightly when he moved. The air felt cold against his skin and he would like nothing more than to just like in bed but he knew he had to find out where they were, and to make sure that if their father returned, that they had somewhere else to go.

Once outside the bedroom he entered a small hallway and soon found himself in what appeared to be a kitchen. No one else was in there but after he stood there a moment a young girl appearing to be about four came rushing in. She saw him, squealed and ran right back out yelling at the top of her lungs.

"Mommy! Mommy he's awake! The stranger's awake!"

Midori came down the hallway and took his hand in hers.

"Where are we Ziri?"

Ziri shrugged and together they walked outside. They were apparently on the outskirts of a large town, a wide dirt path leading from the group of houses where they were to the city a few paces away.

The girl who had run out had found her mother and was leading her up the path to where they now stood. Other people were gathering as well, mothers and their children and a few men who hadn't yet gone to the city for their day's work. One of these men came up to the two.

"You two were in a bad way when we found you yesterday morning. Where'd you come from and why'd you leave in such a hurry?"

Ziri squeezed Midori's hand before answering. "We came from Cascata, and we left because our abusive father escaped from prison."

There was a collective gasp in which several of the mothers placed their hands over their hearts. Midori spoke up, her voice strong still even through their ordeal.

"I don't think we should stay long. He might still be looking for us."

The man's expression hardened. "You'll do no such thing, you'll stay here. Our defenses are the best this side of Omashu and if you need protection they'll give it. Now you just tell us your names and we'll find you a place to stay."

"I'm Midori, and this is my brother Ziri."

The man nodded and moved to guide them to the city when one of the mothers spoke up.

"'Ziri'…that's a Fire Nation name."

Ziri flinched, he couldn't help it, and Midori glared at the woman. When Ziri spoke, his voice was firm though he didn't feel so.

"My parents were Fire Nation, but my mother died giving birth to me and my father…I don't know. I was adopted into Midori's family a year before she was born and days after I myself was. I have never been to the Fire Nation and know nothing of it, so I can say I'm not Fire Nation."

They all seemed to regard his words for a moment, and Ziri couldn't help but continue, speaking from his heart.

"Laina of the Northern Water Tribe was my mother, and her daughter, Midori, is my sister, and nothing can ever change that."

Midori nodded, meeting his gaze. This seemed to satisfy the crowds and the man led them again into Sharra.

* * *

Jun reached the Water Temple with ease, and she felt sure that the sisters would take the young Rou into their care. She left Shirshu outside the temple and headed in with Rou at her side, the boy babbling nearly continuously in his strange language. 

The sisters caught sight of her and they shrunk back for a moment…but then they saw Rou at her side. Only then did Jun realize that Rou had stopped speaking. Glancing at him she saw that he had frozen, and his eyes were wide in fear.

"Rou?"

"Ryuji?"

Jun's head snapped up as a tall woman stepped out of the temple. Her eyes were only for Rou though.

"Ryuji, you've returned to us!"

Rou gave a horrified cry and promptly stepped behind Jun, hiding.

"Rou!" Jun cried. Just as soon as she'd said that, the woman before her held her hand out to Rou and said something in the same strange language that Rou himself spoke.

Rou shook his head when she finished and replied, his grip on Jun tightening. The woman raised her head and looked at Jun; as she did so, the crystal around her neck shone briefly.

"Greetings, bounty hunter Jun, I am Water Sage Qing-Yuan. Why don't you tell Ryuji to come with me?"

Jun's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"Ryuji…belongs…here with us. He is a special child, and he might hurt himself away from the temple. And what would you want with a boy you can't even understand?"

Rou turned his gaze from Qing-Yuan to Jun, falling to his knees and wrapping his arms around her waist. He began speaking rapidly to her and the Water Sage was right, she didn't understand a word…but she understood the look in his eyes.

"He is very powerful and could hurt you and your pet if left unchecked."

The look in his eyes was the same as Saeta's that day…

_

* * *

The soldiers had come…she'd known they would. _

"_Where is the boy?" _

_She turned from the dishes she was washing and walked to the stairs. _

"_Saeta! Come down here please!" _

_Saeta came bounding down the stairs. _

"_What do you need big sister?" _

_Then he saw the soldiers and immediately grabbed onto her. _

"_No! No! Please don't let them take me Asiera!" _

_She pried his hands from her waist. _

"_They're going to teach you how to fire-bend Saeta!" _

"_I don't want to leave you! Don't let them take me!" _

_The soldiers had him now. _

"_Trust me Saeta. This is for the best." _

_He looked at her imploringly. "Asiera…"_

_She turned her back to him, letting the soldiers carry him out. How could she have known that would be the last time she saw him alive? How could she have known that he would've been killed by a stray fireball? How could she have known that in one instant her entire world would have been shattered?_

_How could she have known?_

* * *

"Come with me Ryuji and we will continue your training." 

Qing-Yuan was reaching for Rou when Jun grabbed him and spun him out of her reach, stepping back at the same time.

"No! Don't touch him!"

Qing-Yuan stopped, her eyes narrowing. "I could pay you a great deal if you leave him here."

_**How much?**_

_No._

_**He doesn't mean anything to you.**_

_No._

_**He's just a child. You can't care for him. **_

_No._

_**He doesn't even speak our language and he obviously doesn't understand us when we speak. **_

_No. _

_**What harm could there be in letting him stay with them?**_

"NO!" Jun shouted, and Qing-Yuan was taken back, shock crossing her face.

"Keep your money. If he's as powerful as you say he is, I'm sure the Fire Lord will pay even more for him."

Qing-Yuan growled angrily, but Jun took Rou's hand in her own. Rou's watery silver eyes stared back at her, misunderstanding in them until she smiled, and then they smiled back at her.

_I'll never let anyone take you away again. _

"Come, let's go."

She led Rou back to Shirshu and they were quickly gone.

Qing-Yuan followed them with narrow eyes.

"Kuna."

"Yes my lady?"

"Follow them and bring him back to me."

"Yes my lady."

* * *

A young white bird winged through the skies. It had been flying for two days straight but its destination was nearing. The wind left its wings as it closed them, diving down towards the mountains below it. Pulling out of its dive it flew towards the cavern, seeking the boy it was sent to find. It landed on the shoulder of a boy clad in bright colors with a blue arrow on his head. 

Aang looked at the bird as it eagerly took to preening, his attention taken from the silhouette of the dragon above him, and he took the scroll tied to the bird's foot. As he read the letter his eyes widened, quite unable to believe what he saw. His head snapped up and his gaze met Sokka's.

"It's from Katara!"

Sokka ran forward and stood beside the young Avatar. "What does it say?"

Aang was grinning. "It says that she and Zuko were trapped on an island, but they're okay."

"Like we care about him?"

Aang shrugged and continued. "They found a boat and are heading to the North Pole. She's asking us to meet them there."

"Meet _her_ there; Zuko can take care of himself."

But Aang was too ecstatic to care about the Fire Nation prince. He let out an exuberant cry and jumped about twelve feet in the air. Kioko smiled but her eyes were sad.

"We have to leave right away! She said it would only take them a couple of days to get there!"

Sokka nodded enthusiastically. "I sure hope Appa's rested!"

"He should be!"

Yato, Kioko's father, laughed. "I think you two should take a moment to breathe. I'm sure your friend is fine, but you need some rest. You just got here."

Aang smiled but shook his head. "We're fine. Besides, we've got to go! We've been separated from Katara too long."

"but…"

"Let them go father."

Yato looked at Kioko and then back at the Elders. "We cannot control the Avatar."

He looked at Aang. "This is your decision. If you wish to leave, we will help you prepare for the journey."

And so they were set. Aang and Sokka left the cavern without a second thought and the others were behind them. Soon only Kioko was left within. She air-bended up to the dragon and placed a hand on the encasing crystal.

The dragon's eyes were closed, but she could feel its emotions.

"You seem so sad."

It didn't move and she sighed.

"Who trapped you here? Why didn't you break free?"

She looked closer and now she could tell, even through the amethyst crystal, the dragon was pure white.

* * *

Iroh and his crew arrived at Shian at daybreak, and he sought the inn named in the letter. The paper itself was clutched in his hand as if he needed it to ensure the reality of his situation. But it wasn't until he saw her standing by the inn that he truly believed. 

Before he could think twice, Iroh had closed the distance between them and drawn the former Fire Lady into a tight embrace. She returned the affection earnestly.

"Ursa," he managed to get out. "I thought you were dead."

She shook her head. "I'm sorry you thought so, but it wasn't true. The Great Lord Agni took me from that place and gave me a new life in the Earth Kingdom. Much has happened since you last saw me Lord Iroh."

They parted and he shook his head. "No formalities now my dear. We are no longer Fire Nation royalty."

She motioned to the inn. "Come, we have much to speak of, and little I can say out here."

So Iroh followedUrsa into the inn, never knowing how much this simple conversation would change his life.

* * *

When Katara returned to Zuko a second time, she found him resting against the wheel. Now she couldn't even convince herself he wasn't sick. He was pale, his chest heaving as he panted for breath. When she touched him he leaned into her, her cool embrace heaven to him. 

"Come Zuko, you need to lie down."

He made no effort to stop her as she guided him below deck and helped him lie down on the bed.

"You rest Zuko, I'll take care of things."

He nodded slightly, a sweat forming on his brow. She laid a hand on his forehead, suppressing a hiss at the temperature. His fever was much too high; she had to find something to bring it down.

Katara searched through the cabinets and boxes, seeking something, anything, which might help bring his fever down. Finally she found some herbs that might help. She quickly pressed them and poured some cool water over the herbs, and held the cup to his lips.

"Drink this Zuko, it will make you feel better."

He mumbled something unintelligible but drank her concoction easily. Katara poured some more cold water over a cloth and placed it on Zuko's forehead, trying to make him comfortable before she had to return above deck. They were entering the ice flats and she couldn't take the risk that no one was guiding the ship.

"Mika, watch him."

Whether the tiger cub understood on not, Katara didn't know, but she had to do something.

"I'll return, Zuko, I promise."

* * *

Ziri was in a good mood as he and Midori walked back towards their new home. He had gotten an apprenticeship to a blacksmith because he could apparently stand heat well, so he could manage the forge. Midori had taken up a small job as a seamstress with several of the women of the town. 

The air was cool as they headed back to their house when Ziri stopped, placing a hand on his forehead. Midori frowned.

"What's wrong Ziri?"

He shook his head. "I don't know. I feel…faint almost. I feel dizzy."

She put a hand on his shoulder to steady him as he wavered slightly.

"You don't have a fever." She said after placing a hand over his forehead.

He shrugged. "Are you hot Midori?"

"Ziri, it's freezing out here!"

He was fanning his face; he felt he was surrounded with searing heat.

"I think I need to lie down."

Midori's frowned deepened and her brow furrowed.

"I agree. Come on, I'll help you."

* * *

Jun knew they were being followed, a tight sixth sense in the back of her mind. She urged Shirshu to a run and they tore through the forest. Rou sat in front of her, enveloped by her arms, and he had wrapped his arms around her waist, his eyes tightly closed. What had she gotten herself into? 

"Who are you?" She shouted above the wind. Rou replied in the same strange language and she gritted her teeth, determined to make it away from the Temple and forget that she had meant to leave him there, the same as when she'd meant to let the soldiers come and take Saeta away.

The difference was she'd left with Rou, and Saeta had died. She wouldn't let the past repeat itself.

Without warning, hundreds of black-clad warriors leapt from the trees and surrounded them. Shirshu reared up onto his back legs, catching Jun off guard and throwing them both to the ground. Jun rolled instantly to protect Rou with her body, and he gave a frightened squeal, babbling quickly in his language.

Jun leapt to her feet, drawing a skull-hilted sword and cracking her whip once. She planted her feet on either side of Rou's body, prepared to fight for him. The warriors surrounded her, and they began to fight.

Rou gave a frightened cry as Shirshu and Jun took out as many of the soldiers as they could. None of them would attack him, but they knew that he didn't know how to fight. He watched as they wrapped chains around Shirshu and bound him to the ground.

Jun fought bravely on for several more minutes but finally she was caught. A warrior had a knife to her throat.

"Now drop the sword and the whip."

She did so, her eyes flashing in anger. The warrior maneuvered her in front of where Rou lay cringing upon the ground.

"All right now Ryuji."

He flinched again and the warrior flowed smoothly into the ancient language.

"Dousovi su." _Come with us._

"Nai!" Rou shouted back, his eyes shining dangerously.

"Dousovi su yih lefael sprie." _Come with us or the girl dies._

Rou's mouth fell open and he weakly shook his head.

"Nai, siplait n'spri fa." _No, please don't kill her._

"Dousovi su."

"No Rou!"

His head jerked up, tears in his eyes as he met her gaze.

"No. Go Rou! Run! I can take care of myself!"

If she only knew he was safe, then things would be all right. "Go Rou."

That was it. Rou's eyes narrowed in anger and he stood up straight, his eyes glaring into the warrior's. The warrior, Kuna, stared back in fear, truly frightened of what he had provoked.

The characters around Rou's wrists and ankles began to glow, and the wind around them began to blow. Kuna immediately let go of the girl, pushed her away, and stepped away from her, his hands held up in surrender, but it was too late.

Jun sat up from where she had fallen and looked towards Rou, but all she saw where he once stood was a bright light in the outline of a human figure. This figure looked at her, their eyes met, and she fainted.

* * *

Aang wandered back into the cavern to find Kioko staring at the dragon meditatively. 

"Kioko, are you coming with us?"

"I don't think so Aang."

A sharp wind blew into the cavern and without warning the dragon's eyes opened, pure white light shining from beneath its lids. Kioko gave a cry of surprise and fell from her place on the crystal. Aang stepped forward and caught her and they both stared in awe at the dragon. It did not move, but its eyes shone all the more brightly.

They stood there until they both lost track of time, consumed in the presence of the dragon, feeling its power that was never released towards them, the light growing in brightness until they were more a part of it than watching it.

Then it was gone. Aang and Kioko blinked in the sudden darkness, and they both blushed upon realizing how close they stood together. Aang stuttered and nearly ran out, leaving Kioko to stand by herself and gaze by up at the dragon, now dormant once more.

* * *

Jun woke slowly, the skies dark overhead. What had happened? The last thing she remembered was… 

"Rou!"

She stood up quickly and looked around. The clearing appeared unharmed; not a single blade of grass out of place, but then she saw Rou. He was over by Shirshu, pulling the chains off the great beast. He turned and met her gaze and smiled, waving happily. She waved back, and then she saw them.

Every dark warrior that had been standing when she had fainted was dead. She stepped to the nearest one. Not a mark lay on the man, but there was no way she could say he was living. And Jun knew without a doubt that all the others were like this as well.

Rou walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Iu obsefrim?"

She looked up and smiled at him. "Look now, we need to find a compromise between our languages."

He just smiled back and she decided to start with their names.

"You are Ryuji?" She said, reverting back to what they had called him.

He shook his head, his expression dark. "Nai, Rou."

She couldn't help the tears that sprung to her eyes. He wanted the name she'd given him, not the name he'd grown up with. She nodded, dipping her head to hide the tears. When she was better, she stood and met his gaze. Touching a hand to his chest, she said simply.

"Rou."

He nodded, and she placed a hand on her own chest.

"Jun." She then repeated the process.

"Rou. Jun."

He placed a hand on her chest. "Asiera."

Jun stared at him, her eyes wide. "No. Jun."

He shook his head and tapped her chest none too gently. "Asiera."

"No Asiera. Jun."

He tilted his head before nodding. "Jun."

Jun smiled and nodded. Rou laughed and took her hand.

"Su douso Jun."

She laughed. "We'll figure the rest of it out later now won't we?"

He shrugged and Jun took on the impossible task of teaching Rou to speak English.

* * *

Ursa motioned for Iroh to sit once they'd entered her room. He took the chair while she sat gently on her bed. Iroh was full of bubbling questions but she wasn't quite ready to speak. After a moment of silence, she handed him a piece of paper filled with her delicate writing. 

"That is what's called the Prophecy of Four Iroh."

Iroh read through the Prophecy and his eyes caught on one line.

If the Son of Agni rides with his sire 

"Ursa, I have a question to ask you."

He didn't quite know how to phrase his question but she seemed to know what he needed to ask anyway.

"Iroh, do you know that Zuko is the Son of Agni?"

He looked at her and suddenly began laughing. "Yes, I know that. Did you know that I am the grandson of Agni?"

Instantly Ursa began laughing as well. "That I didn't know!"

They waited a few minutes for their mirth to subside beforeUrsa gave a great sigh and met Iroh's gaze.

"There is something I must make known to you Iroh, something only I and one other know, and now you, and it has a great deal to do with Zuko."

Iroh looked at her expectantly, but gave her a moment as she gathered her words and her strength.Ursa took a deep breath reminiscent of a child about to plunge off a cliff.

"There was another Iroh."

He didn't quite understand her and she gave an exasperated sigh at his puzzled expression.

"Twins, Iroh, twins!"

He drew in a sharp breath, his eyes wide.

"The Great Lord Agni gave me twins!"

Iroh was speechless fro several minutes, his acute mind trying to understand how much this one fact affected.

"Ursa, that means…"

"…that there are…"

"…_two_ Sons of Agni, two of Fire to fulfill the Prophecy."

Ursawrung her hands, biting her lip and staring at the floor.

"Iroh, I am going to return to Kyoshi. I am getting married."

Iroh's eyes narrowed. "Does he make you happy?"

Ursasmiled.

"Why does everyone ask me that? Yes, I am very happy with Damek."

He touched her hand gently. "We're just trying to protect you."

Ursaglanced up worriedly but there was nothing but fondness, a brotherly love, in his eyes. She smiled and squeezed his hand.

"I need you to do something for me Iroh."

"Yes, what it is?"

"I need you to find Zuko's twin. He needs to know who he is."

Iroh nodded. "I'll find him. Don't worry."

He started to walk out, ecstatic to have a new mission. Ursa's voice followed him.

"His name is Ziri."

* * *

AS 

AS

**Now you know one of Ziri's purposes in this story. But not all! And Qing-Yuan is evil. **

Okay! Results for the challenge: Who is the White Dragon?

Three people guessed correctly, but I'm not telling you who! Cuz I'm not telling you who the White Dragon is yet.

**I can't remember how many people got the 'twins' right, i think it was two, but I'm not sure. **

**So, anybody want a new challenge? Too bad, I can't think of one. **

**NEXT CHAPTER'S QUOTE:**

**"If you are going to leave me, then I'll die here beside you!" **

* * *

**Now that you are all scared, I'll leave you alone. Don't forget to review! **


	16. Reveal To Me My True Name

**AN: I think I already said this but to clarify, Rou IS the White Dragon, but he is not the answer I am looking for. The answer I want is the name of one of the gods. But don't worry about it. The White Dragon will be further clarified in chapter 22. **

**Also to clarify, Ziri and Zuko are not going to be competing for Katara's affections. Katara has enough trouble with Aang and Zuko. Ziri has his own little special part in the Prophecy. **

**Don't own Avatar or Nightwish. **

**

* * *

Inner Perfectionist: (stares at chapter in after-thought) O.O Holy friggin' monkeys, WTF? **

**Ziri: I don't…**

**Zuko: …particularly like this chapter. **

**Elenea: Neither do I, but…(looks at chapter)…O.O…WTF?**

**Readers: I think we should feel lucky that we're getting this chapter…**

**Elenea: Yes, I think you should…(Elenea walks away) **

**Zuko: Great, she's gone. I get to tell you all about chapter 17 which is full of death, more pain, frustration, plot developing, and then…(flips through script) in chapter 24 Ziri d…(squeaks at sight of Maverick) **

**Maverick: I wouldn't care if you told them but Elenea promised to leave me alone for a week if I'd do this. (knocks Zuko out and takes script) **

**Rou: It was supposed to be Zuko's job to say 'enjoy the chapter' but someone knocked him out and since MAVERICK is the BEST VAMPIRE IN THE WORLD I can't be mad at him…cuz he's so great. **

**Maverick: O.o_…(please don't hug me please don't hug me)……_**

**Rou: So enjoy the chapter. (hugs Maverick)**

**Maverick: Damn. **

**  
**

* * *

"_...Walk the dark path  
Sleep with angels  
Call the past for help  
Touch me with your love  
And reveal to me my true name..."_

_--Nemo by Nightwish_

**Chapter 16: Reveal To Me My True Name**

The sun rose, but its fire did not spread. Clouds covered the skies, dark clouds, sending lightning and loud crashes of impending disaster over the people of the world. It was a dark day.

The day dawned early in the Fire Nation but Fire Lord Ozai had been awake for hours. The palace was a much more welcoming place to him it seemed. Both his children gone on pointless missions but it was the absence of the once horrid dreams of red-eyed men and golden dragons that he appreciated the most.

Only one thing worried him now, and that was the Prophecy that the Fire Sages had brought to his attention now barely a week ago. Apparently the small stanza that he'd first read was not all there was and he smirked, remembering. The Fire Nation would not be so easy to beat.

Even so, Ozai was preparing for the final strike in the war. If he could end the war before the Prophesied Four arose, then the Prophecy itself would be pointless. He felt confident that mere words written could not defeat him. He held the Son of Agni's spear. That had to count for something.

When he'd shown the spear to the Fire Sages, they'd quickly given it a name other than the one Keilantra had. They called it the Qiäng, or the Spear of One Thousand Flames, forged to be wielded by the Son of Agni and him alone. The fact that he had it would be a great advantage, but he had to keep it well protected. If it fell into the hands of him who could use it, only disaster would come of it.

Now he walked quickly through the halls, heading for the war chamber. He'd spent the last few days coming up with a fool-proof plan to at last wipe out the Earth Kingdom capital and the rest of their opposition. The problem was that to complete it he would need his little brother to come home.

Fire Lord Ozai entered the war chamber with his usual flourish and took his place among the flames, the Qiäng bumping against his skin in its place beneath his robes. The generals all stood half bowed until he sat, and then they all took their places.

Ozai gave a scroll to one of his more loyal generals and then he stood, preparing to speak. He waited a moment, giving them plenty of time to realize that he had stood, and then all attention was upon him. The general he had handed the scroll to began.

"My lord, you say you have a plan to seize Ba Sing Se?"

Ozai nodded, and began to elaborate.

* * *

Azula and Jet sauntered into the village for no particular reason except the fact that they had time to kill and there might be a bit of information on the Avatar's whereabouts. Jet found himself preoccupied with other things while Azula tried her hand at _discreetly_ interrogating merchants. She wasn't good at it. He drew out the amulet and gazed at it for a moment before tucking it beneath his shirt again. 

Azula came up to him with fire in her eyes.

"That one didn't have any information either."

Jet smirked inwardly. She'd never get anything from these merchants if she kept going as she did, but really, why did he care? The Avatar was going to be at Omashu within a month, she didn't need to worry so.

"I'm sure that this isn't necessary."

She turned from him, marching towards the next free merchant, knowing that the rebel would follow. Azula knew it wasn't necessary, that what he had said was true, but she wouldn't admit that he was right a second time. It was bad enough that he plagued her about how _he_ had saved them in the woods despite how she claimed that _she_ was not the one who had needed saving.

Her eyes fell on two men entering the marketplace. From their clothes they appeared rich. They had to be to not be either in the war or refugees. One was clearly Earth Kingdom but the other puzzled Azula, for his hair was pure silver.

* * *

Ziri left the blacksmith's shop and took a shortcut towards the beaches through the training grounds. There warriors of every age and gender learned the deadly arts to prepare themselves against the Fire Nation. 

Several of those training were firing arrows at straw targets, and the best of them was a girl. Ziri recognized her. She'd come in to the shop earlier and placed an order for several hundred steel arrowheads. The girl spotted him watching her and waved him over, so he went to her.

"Why are you watching me?"

Then she frowned, for he was looking directly at her bow and not at her.

"Will you teach me to use one of those?"

Her eyebrows rose in surprise. "A bow?"

He nodded.

"Don't you know?"

Ziri shook his head. "I wasn't allowed to learn weaponry with my father and when we lived with our aunt I had no one to teach me."

She smiled kindly and placed the bow in his hands.

"Here, hold it like this."

Placing her hands over his, she showed him how to hold the bow and how to nock the arrow. Their bodies were pressed together and she was blatantly aware of the fact that he had several inches and probably fifty pounds on her, but for some reason she didn't feel threatened.

Ziri's gaze didn't shift from the arrow and she chuckled.

"Look down the arrow and see your target at the end of the arrow."

She pressed her cheek to his to see down his line of sight.

Ziri aimed for the wooden plate over the straw man's chest, the bow string drawn tight.

"Now loose."

He released the bow string and the arrow went flying forward. It hit the edge of the board and bounced off. Ziri felt disappointed but the girl laughed.

"Good! You did better your first time than I did! I didn't even hit the board."

"But it didn't lodge."

She took up her place again. "Just put more power behind it."

"How?"

"Pull the bowstring further back."

Ziri drew another arrow and placed it as she had shown him and drew the bowstring back so the feathers of the arrow tickled his cheek. The arrow flew as he released, and this time it lodged itself just a little left of the center of the board.

"I think the boy's a natural."

The girl nodded to whoever had spoken then turned back to Ziri.

"Well, keep practicing!"

Ziri took another arrow from the quiver and continued. She smiled.

"By the way, my name is San."

Ziri's arrow flew and landed half an inch away from his other arrow, this time closer to the center. This time he didn't hesitate to take another arrow and prepare his next shot.

"I'm Ziri."

"I know." She said, laughing. "The entire town is talking about you and your sister."

"Really? What do they say?"

The next arrow landed directly next to his second arrow.

"Huh, you're accurate _and_ precise. They don't say anything but good. Mainly about how both of you are such hard workers."

San bit her lip. "But they do talk about how you got your scar. Apparently, the Prince of the Fire Nation has a scar just like yours."

Ziri smiled. "Do they think I'm him?"

"Some of them do."

"Do you think if I were a prince I'd be here? I'd be off with my father planning how to take over Ba Sing Se. Besides, my parents are dead."

San smiled. "You're right. Those people are foolish. Besides, you don't talk like royalty. Don't look like it either."

"Hey!" Ziri started indignantly, but he was smiling. He knew she was joking.

"So how did you get your scar?"

Ziri's expression darkened and San wondered if she'd said something wrong.

"My father hit me with burning log when I displeased him."

"I'm sorry."

Suddenly, the arrow Ziri was holding burst into flame just as he shot it. It landed on the head plate of the straw man and the whole thing was alight in seconds.

A man ran over and doused the fire with a bucket of water, but soon everyone was looking at Ziri. Ziri himself was staring at the target his eyes wide and his mouth open in shock, the bow still in his hands.

San had stepped away from him, a hand over her mouth.

"You're…you're…"

Ziri turned and ran, dropping the bow at her feet.

* * *

Mamoru and Samir were walking through the market when Samir just sat down in the dirt like it was a silk bed. 

"Damn, Moru, I'm tired. These mortal bodies wear out fast don't they?"

Mamoru sat down next to the Air God and sighed. He was tired too.

"We've been walking all day and yet we haven't found a single sign of Zuko or your son."

"I'm sorry I'm such a lecher."

"Glad you finally admit it."

"I was being sarcastic you dirt clump."

Samir was promptly hit with a dirt clump.

"And plenty more where that came from."

Samir fell back, lying full out against the ground. "Earth."

"Air."

Both of them started laughing, neither paying attention to the afternoon sun as it ran red.

* * *

Azula's attention was turned from the men as a red glow appeared over the land. Jet gave an angry growl as thick reddish-black smoke covered the sky, coming from the south. 

A man ran into the village on an armored bird.

"Guards, the Fire Nation is attacking the southern rice fields! There are villagers down there!"

Azula was torn for a moment, prepared to ignore the announcement and go back to her ship when Jet tore past her in the direction the guards were running.

"Jet!"

He spun around and she glared at him.

"We had a deal Jet!"

"I don't care!" he shouted back. "I may be helping you but I am still Earth Kingdom. I will not let your people destroy mine!"

And then he turned and ran off. She last saw him leaping into the trees. Spinning, she turned back to the two men, but they too were gone. With an angry growl, Azula ran off after Jet.

* * *

Kaia was tired. 

Gods did not often get tired, feel hunger, or any of the other exasperations that plagued mortals, but Kaia was simply exhausted.

Why she didn't really know but she was. A possible reason was that Kaia was naturally social, and the Spirit World was currently empty of her companions, save for Agni, whom she was a little afraid to speak to at the moment.

Looking back, if only she'd summoned the courage to go to the Fire God.

Instead Kaia wandered aimlessly through the airy world that Alem had built before disappearing nearly two hundreds years ago from both Spirit and Aye. She formed herself a couch and collapsed onto it, the wild thoughts running through her mind that had made her tired in the first place not seeing this as a decent excuse to stop pestering her.

Unconsciously she massaged her temples, trying to ease a pain that was not there. Seeking a relief to the mad half-formed thoughts she turned her mind to her daughter, Kioko.

Instantly the turmoil ceased as she remembered watching the young girl run after a butterfly, her father steps behind her, watching her protectively as she watched them both from the shadows of the afternoon sun.

Her eyes fell on the man she'd once thought she'd loved. He still smiled, especially when looking upon their daughter, but did he hate her for what she had done? Oh, know it and know it well that she loved her daughter, but it hadn't taken her long to discern that she did not love Yato. Every instant she'd spent with him she'd found herself comparing him to her husband, and all he had truly done was show her how much she did love Mamoru.

Kioko bound her forever to Aye, and she did not regret it for an instant. She only wished Mamoru would look at her straight once more. She had not seen him for nearly a week now, nor had she seen Samir. Makani had not been any help, Shasa was still in Aye, and Nen…was never any help anyway.

"I'm not? How sad."

Kaia opened her eyes to meet the azure gaze of the youngest Water Goddess, strangely startled to see the self-righteous smirk on Nen's face.

"Hello Nen."

"So polite after that little insult? I feel so unloved."

Kaia leaned back again as Nen summoned a chair and draped herself across it and she sighed.

"You should Nen, you should. Who could love you after all you've done?"

Surprisingly, Nen laughed, a cold hard sound that made Kaia sit up straight, swinging her legs off the couch. A feeling of foreboding filled her.

"Relax Kaia; you act like a rabbit ready to spring away at the first sign of danger."

A rabbit? Ready to spring? Danger? That was exactly how she felt.

The aura around her was very _very_ dangerous right now. She didn't quite understand why, but something was very wrong. Kaia stood.

"I'm going to go talk to Agni. He must be feeling lonely."

Another hollow laugh. "Oh yes, I'm sure he wants to talk to one of the people who decided it was best if he just kind of sat back for a while."

Kaia gritted her teeth as she turned her back on Nen and walked towards the cut she made in reality, ready to transport herself to the swamp that Agni was currently residing in.

"You forget that you were the one who…" she trailed off, unable to do anything else as the portal closed in front of her.

"I don't think you should go speak to him."

Without warning Kaia's heart broke. Suppressed sobs wracked up into her body and screamed from her throat.

"Why, Nen? Why? Why did you decide it was best for us? Why did you do this to him?"

She could almost feel Nen's sick grin. "Because he would end the war."

Kaia froze, her heart pounding rapidly in her chest as the air became almost intolerably thick.

"And the war replenishes my flocks."

Kaia stood there immobile, unable to fully comprehend what was being said to her.

_This isn't happening I am not alone here this is a dream I am not going to die I can breathe my heart is still within my chest I am still here I am still alive this isn't happening I am not alone with HIM!_

"Eimin…" she breathed.

The laugh came to her again, bursting from Nen's throat but soon all traces of feminine attributes were gone, and she was too afraid to turn around. His hand was cold on her throat, just barely brushing her skin but his presence made the air toxic.

Struggling to draw breath she heard him chuckle again at her situation.

"Why?"

He laughed again. "I shouldn't explain myself to you. Besides, you'll know soon enough."

"**_Where is Nen?_**"

He spun her around, his hand now wrapping itself around her slender throat. She stared fearfully into his terrible black eyes, and he was less than an inch away from her, his lips actually brushing hers as he spoke.

"In a place where you will soon join her."

* * *

Rou snapped awake from his dream with a growing sense of fear and dread in his heart.

* * *

The sun was setting behind dark clouds and Ziri was on the outskirts of town, his eyes closed; he was focusing only on the sun he could not see. He could pinpoint its exact position, but how he knew it was there he wasn't sure. Perhaps it had something to do with the fire in his blood. 

The paths of tears had long since left his face, and he wanted to bury himself in the ocean so he knew he would never be able to create fire. He was frightened of this power within him, wondering if his father and mother had always known, and then Aunt as well.

Twice now he had fire-bended, both times at a moment when anger had filled him. He knew that fire was an angry element, but how could he learn to control it so that he didn't harm anyone?

"I wish I knew more about _what_ I am, not who." he said simply to the wind.

He still felt faint though not quite as much as he had the day before, and this was another cause for concern. One moment he had been fine and the next he had been so weak he could barely stand, what was wrong with him?

The young fire-bender stood and started to head back to the house he shared with Midori. Time had slowed to a crawl, but he felt sure that something was going to happen, and soon. It was in the breath of the air, in the fire of his heart, and in the tightening of his chest.

Suddenly he turned and gazed north, a presence strong in his heart. His eyes perceived nothing, but he did not need eyes to see.

* * *

Zuko gave a cry as he sat up, his head snapping around to face south-east. He felt as if someone was standing just there beside him, someone he'd known always and never met. His head pounded furiously against his sudden movement and the room spun in his gaze, but he struggled to see through to where they were. 

"Where are you?" He whispered to the room.

Moments later, a voice came with the breath that tore the life from his candle.

"_I am here!" _

"Where?" he shouted. "Come!"

"_I am here, where are you? I will come!" _

He did not know how to respond, and the last shout had sapped his strength. He collapsed on the bed as Katara rushed in.

* * *

Ziri watched the horizon when the winds brought a voice to him. 

"_Where are you?" _

"I am here!" He called.

He waited a few moments, breathless.

"_Where? Come!" _

Ziri bit his lip, his heart pounding. "I am here, where are you? I will come!"

But no response came, and suddenly he felt even weaker. A cool breath on his forehead and then he spun around to see San coming down the hill to meet him. They sat down on the sand together.

"Why did you run today?"

He sighed. "I was frightened…of what they would say."

San let out a long breath, biting her lip. "They just wish you'd told them."

Ziri sighed, staring at his hands. The silence grew sharply and San feared he wouldn't say anything to her at all.

"That was only the second time I've…fire-bended."

Somehow saying it was like sealing his fate.

"And the first?"

"Just before we left Cascata, when our father killed our aunt."

San took his hands in her gently.

"It will be all right Ziri."

He turned his head towards her, wanting desperately to believe her. He was so absorbed in pitying her because she did not understand that he didn't notice her closing the distance between them until her lips were pressed to his.

And then he just stopped thinking and merely reacted to his first kiss by responding in turn.

* * *

Jet flew towards the battle, barely aware of the sun setting, his mind settling blankly on the tasks ahead. 

The guards were running as fast as they could towards the battle, but a loud cry from over head startled them. Looking up, a silver eagle at least the size of a dragon soared over them, flying towards the battle. A moment later a crashing sound was heard behind them.

Out of the woods a huge dark brown and black wolf came running towards them. Several of the guards gave frightened cries as the wolf was at least as big as three Komodo Rhinos, but the wolf just leapt over them without slowing. Quickly they began following the two great beasts.

Jet raced through the trees, the branches welcoming him and for the first time since leaving his woods he felt at home. No Fire Nation Princess running after him shouting orders, no rebels needing directions, only him, the trees, and a few Fire Nation soldiers' heads to knock off.

When he burst onto the scene the first thing he saw was a huge wolf standing at the crest of the hill. It was standing with a paw covering a Komodo Rhino and it raised its head to the sky and let out a mournful and yet triumphant howl. Then it bounded over the hill and down into the valley.

The waters in the valley were stained red, the rice ruined, but now human lives were more important.

The eagle flew over Jet's head as he flew into battle, and paused, beating its wings in a steady tattoo against the air for a moment before whipping them forward, the feathers almost touching at the tip. Blades of air were released and whipped down at the scattering Fire Nation soldiers, scarring the earth with their power.

The tanks were heading towards where the wolf was taking out their soldiers almost mechanically with snarls and growls as his only shows of emotion and the eagle gave a piercing cry as it swooped low over the earth.

Jet caught two soldiers with his swords and used the momentum of bashing their heads together to propel him up and over their heads. He flew through the air for a moment, briefly realizing that there were no more trees or Fire Nation heads to land on, and he was rather high up, and he grabbed onto the first thing that came into contact with his hand.

This happened to be black fur.

Jet was riding on the shoulder of a huge black/brown wolf.

The wolf didn't seem to mind he was there; in fact it just spared him a glance and continued on with ripping the tanks to shreds. Apparently it could tear through steel as if it were paper. He knocked away a fireball that threatened to singe the wolf and propelled himself up onto its back, settling into the groove between the wolf's shoulder blades.

Jet knocked away fireballs and soldiers, somehow keeping his balance as the wolf ran from tank to tank, tearing them apart and howling in anger. He turned to block a soldier's spear when sudden pain spread through his back.

Azula ran into the clearing just in time to see a soldier swipe his spear across Jet's back. It seemed everything slowed down as the body of her…acquaintance if not companion…arched backwards, the hook-swords falling from his hands as he fell to the ground.

The eagle overhead let out an earsplitting screech as a fireball landed squarely on its wing, sending it crashing to the ground a bit of a ways away from the battle. The wolf let out an angry yip before taking off in the direction the eagle had fallen, disappearing quickly over the hills. The guards of the village were left to clean up and help the wounded, the Fire Nation slinking away in defeat.

A lone mournful howl filled the silence after the battle as the moon rose.

* * *

Katara had been asleep for barely ten minutes before a warm tenor woke her from her daze. The voice drifted to her from the bow of the boat, drawing her from her position and helping her to walk to it. 

_The sun is sleeping quietly _

_Once upon a century_

_Wistful oceans calm and red_

_Ardent caresses laid to rest_

There he was, Zuko, the object of her torment and the only one who had come close to understand the turmoil created not only by him but by the struggles she'd been forced to endure.

And he was singing.

_For my dreams I hold my life_

_For wishes I behold my night_

_The truth at the end of time_

_Losing faith makes a crime_

He paused, his arms wrapped around his bare chest. For some reason, he didn't look physically sick anymore, just heartsick and maybe…homesick? He raised his head to the full moon rising, his eyes pleading, the light of the moon falling to embrace him, and Katara gasped at the scene before her, his words coming to her as if from ten thousand years away.

_I wish for this nighttime_

_To last for a lifetime_

_The darkness around me_

_Shores of a solar sea_

_Oh how I wish to go down with the sun_

_Sleeping _

_Weeping _

_With you_

He paused only to take a breath, unconscious of her presence.

_Sorrow has a human heart_

_From my god it will depart_

_I'd sail before a thousand moons_

_Never finding where to go_

_Two hundred twenty two days of light_

_Will be desired by a night_

_A moment for the poet's play_

_Until there's nothing left to say_

_I wish for this nighttime_

_To last for a lifetime_

_The darkness around me_

_Shores of a solar sea_

_Oh how I wish to go down with the sun_

_Sleeping_

_Weeping_

_With you_

His voice was so full of emotion that Katara barely registered the tears falling down her face as she willed her body to move, to go to him, but it seemed unwilling to break the spell that now entranced her. He closed his eyes silently, as if listening to unseen music and when his eyes opened once more they sparkled with unshed tears.

_I wish for this nighttime_

_To last for a lifetime_

_The darkness around me_

_Shores of a solar sea_

_Oh how I wish to go down with the sun_

_Sleeping _

_Weeping_

_With you_

It was as if the song itself had been holding him upright for as soon as the last note faded from his lips his body arched backwards, crashing unceremoniously to the deck.

Katara ran forward with a cry but when she reached his body he was not breathing.

Tears sprang to her eyes as she sought a way to make him breathe. There was no water lodged in his lungs, why had he stopped breathing? Why, gods above, what was happening.

The more logical part of her supplied an answer.

_He's dead…_

"No! Zuko! Breathe damn you!"

She shook him hard, willing him heartbreakingly to wake, but he did not respond.

"NO!" She screamed with more intensity, pulling him to her. The heat of his fever was more pronounced now, and she sobbed desperately, willing the fever that had taken him to take her as well.

"I promised you I'd never leave you and now if you are going to leave me, then I will die here beside you!"

It was as if he heard her, as if he responded to her desperate pleas, for he drew a ragged breath and pressed himself against her. Moaning, she lay down beside him, still cradling him in her arms. Sleep came too easily.

* * *

The night found Neith climbing onto a boat bound for her home, for her fiancé. Iroh was the only person on the dock to see her off, and as she turned to wave good-bye, she tried to understand why the only thing that mattered to her was the smile on his face.

* * *

As night fell over the Sozun Palace, Ozai finally found the officer that he'd sent seven servants to find and had at last had to resort to searching for himself. 

"Captain Min."

The officer turned and bowed deeply. "My lord, what a pleasant surprise to see you. I hope I am not disturbing you."

Ozai smiled. The man always shifted blame to himself in the presence of his superiors, but was merciless to those beneath him, especially on the battlefield.

He handed a scroll to Captain Min and gave the officer one of his rare smiles.

"You are being promoted."

"I thank you my…" And then he trailed off, staring somewhat surprised at the parchment. "A promotion…to Admiral my lord?"

Any other officer Ozai would've killed on the spot, but Min was too valuable, not to mention that Ozai actually _liked_ him.

"You are the only one in my ranks worthy of such a promotion _Admiral_ Min."

The new admiral couldn't help a small smile that graced his features at the title. "My lord, I thank you. What are my orders?"

Ozai's smile widened. "I have sent General Zade to clean out the last remaining rebellious cities in the western Earth Kingdom. I'm sure he will do fine."

"You wish for me to accompany him my lord?

"Hardly, I have two missions for you. I want you to send a message to General Iroh. He will be leading the northern force against Ba Sing Se."

"Of course my lord."

"And then you will be leading the southern and eastern forces against Ba Sing Se."

There was a moment of stunned silence.

"My…My lord, I will…be honored to lead your army against the Earth Kingdom capital."

"Good. I ask one more thing."

"Yes my lord?"

"I want my son to return to the Fire Nation, with my brother."

Admiral Min looked at him strangely. "My lord, are you sure that is wise?"

For the first time since Ozai had known him, Admiral Min was questioning him, and then he realized why.

"Admiral, I want him back so I can lock him in the deepest hole of the Fire Nation and forget about him."

Admiral Min nodded. "Of course my lord, I will see to it."

Ozai turned away and missed the malevolent grin spreading its way on his newest admiral's face. Unbeknownst to him, he had perhaps just handed the world over to destruction, to chaos, to hysteria.

To death.

Admiral Min raised his head, black eyes staring after the Fire Lord with a wicked gleam.

* * *

The sun rose bleakly over the icy waters of the North Pole. A scout urged his canoe a little further when he saw a large Water Tribe ship heading his way. He paddled over to it and climbed on board. There on the deck was a Water Tribe girl and Fire Nation boy, wrapped together against the cold. 

He raised the horn to his lips and gave a call.

**

* * *

AS**

**What happens to Jet, Samir, Zuko, Kaia, and all the other people who got hurt during this painful chapter with a side-bit of romance? You'll find out later. **

**And Nen wasn't the one doing all the bad stuff! It was somebody else! **

**Eimin: And now I don't even register a name in your mind. **

**Rou: WHO SAID YOU COULD COME OUT? GO BACK TO YOUR ROOM!**

**Eimin:...No?**

**Rou: Ok. **

**

* * *

New challenge and shouldn't be too hard if you pay attention to detail.**

"**Who is Admiral Min?" **

**

* * *

NEXT CHAPTER QUOTE: Well, I'm actually giving you two. **

"**Fight me for her life you ungrateful mongrel." **

"**The city is falling, but I still stand. No longer! To me Tokul!" **

* * *

**Review my minions!...I mean...Please?**


	17. For the Blood of a Woman Shed

**AN: I wanted to note that I adapted most of the gods, their characters, and a lot of the plot from one of my original stories. I decided after much consideration to include a scene from that story, and hope you don't mind. **

**Sorry about the long chapter. It's almost seven thousand words. **

**One thing that might help you. If I give you a name, whether it's a CITY or a monkey, REMEMBER IT! **

**

* * *

WARNING: Graphic battle descriptions. It doesn't bother me, but I grew up in a hospital and reading Stephen King novels. It's just realistic to me, but to you…it might be a little disturbing.: . It doesn't bother me, but I grew up in a hospital and reading Stephen King novels. It's just realistic to me, but to you…it might be a little disturbing. **

* * *

"_Alas, the gates of life never swing open except upon death, never open except upon the palaces and gardens of death. And the universe appears to me like an immense, inexorable torture-garden. Blood everywhere and, where there is most life, horrible tormentors who dig your flesh, saw your bones, and retract your skin with sinister, joyful faces."_

_--Le Jardin des Supplices (The Torture Garden) by Octave Mirbeau_

**Chapter 17: For the Blood of a Woman Shed**

Clouds still covered the sky from the harsh rain the night before. But where the sunlight broke through, it shone against the dew, giving a false promise of purity and innocence to the war-ridden world.

The Fire Navy ship plowed through the waters, spurred by the princess's orders. The princess herself was in a particularly foul mood, emphasized when a man was blown overboard by the bolt of lightning that connected with his chest.

"Why can't this thing go any faster?"

She shouted before returning to stand at the bow, refusing to admit her real reason for her incredibly bad mood, refusing to admit that she was worried.

* * *

Jet woke to find himself once again in the Fire Navy ship that belonged to Azula. Looking around he noticed that he was in the infirmary, a place he'd only seen once in his stay. A man with a kind face he recognized as the doctor was the first person he saw.

"Good, you're awake. Her Highness will be happy to know that."

Instead of responding, Jet tried to think back, to remember. There was the battle, fighting, defending the wolf, and the blinding pain and darkness.

Assessing his situation, he found himself nearly naked beneath a silken blanket with most of his torso wrapped in stiff white bandages.

"What…?"

"You took quite a blow yesterday my lord."

Jet sat up partially, trying to understand.

"How did I get here?"

The doctor frowned disapprovingly at him before answering.

"Her Highness carried you. And now you should rest."

Jet stared at him unmoving.

"Azula? You are talking about Azula right?"

The doctor nodded and pushed him back down on the bed.

"Rest."

Jet lay back on the bed, but his eyes stared at the ceiling above him, his thoughts in a whirl. He'd expected Azula to return to her ship, not chase after him. Why had she done so?"

"Drink."

Jet did so without thinking what the doctor might have put in the water, and didn't resist the darkness when it crept upon him. Perhaps it was better than trying to figure that woman out.

* * *

Mamoru gritted his teeth and took another step. His eyes had long since been blinded by blood from a wound on his head, his long brown hair loose and flying disheveled around him. The dark green tunic he wore had gone to try and tie up Samir's wounds, and he took a moment to shift the Air God's body on his bare back.

Not bothering to waste his strength on words, he kept moving. His human body had far surpassed its limits and it was only his immortal spirit that kept him moving. The world was dark around him, but the scent of water drove him forward.

Water was release. Water was strength. Water was healing.

He heard voices around him, unable to see where his steps had taken him. Without warning, his strength failed him, and he fell to his knees, stopping from falling face first into the dirt with one hand, the other holding Samir on his back. Damn this human form! But in his true form, his wounds would drain him much faster due to the power needed.

_You wonder now why our true form is harder to maintain than our human form._

"Oh my, look! Those men are very badly wounded!"

"We should get them to the healer's hut!"

"Don't touch me!" Mamoru hissed. Their religion depended upon the immortality of the gods; he could not let the people see them like this.

_Why do we call it true anyway? You know it is a pseudonym. False, false, false. _

The Fire God's voice rang in his ears.

"What are you talking about Agni?" he said through gritted teeth, ignoring the collective gasp around them.

_That didn't use to be my name. Am I the only one who remembers? We were all human once. Well, not precisely, but just as weak, just as fragile. Once, we were all just the same as those who now fear us. _

"I don't…remember…"

_Of course you don't Moru. None of us do, not much anymore. It was too long ago. Before the benders, before the nations, before the gods…come on Moru, think!_

Mamoru closed his eyes tightly, trying to tell Agni he was insane, but for some reason, he just couldn't deny his words.

"What are you trying to tell me?"

_There are no pretenses in my words Moru._

The name echoed through his mind, as if unlocking hidden secrets, things he'd long forgotten, and a vision flashed before his mind.

_

* * *

Two men were walking down a long road, both wounded from the battle, but the war wasn't over. Two opposites, the two Elementals drove themselves onward._

"_Will we find them Moru?" _

"_I'm sure we will Sirma." _

_The one born of Air fell to his knees, tears falling to the packed dirt they walked on. He turned and looked down at the stilled wind. _

"_Don't lie to me! We can't do this! You know it! We're all going to die!" _

"_Shut up! That isn't true. We won't die, Corry and Coal won't let that happen, I promise you." _

"_But Princess Amiera…" _

"_Is just a sorceress. Nothing more. We can beat her, I'll bet you anything." _

_He knelt down and brushed his hair aside, offering his back. _

"_Here. I'll carry you for a bit." _

_Sirma climbed on his back and rested his head on his shoulder. _

"_Thanks Moru." _

"_No problem. Air Elementals are light anyway, aren't they? They can never pull their weight except in a high wind." _

_Sirma chuckled and they continued on. "They'll be at the next village." _

_He nodded. "Yes, just a little farther." _

* * *

He opened his eyes, seeing for the first time since the battle.

"What that us? Before?"

_Just a little farther Mamoru._

Mamoru nodded. He shifted Samir's weight and slowly pushed himself to his feet once more. The villagers were standing around him and his eyes fell on them.

"Water, take me to water."

No one moved, but a little girl ran out and stood in front of him.

"Follow me."

She started walking and he followed her, steeling his grip on Samir's slipping body, forcing his own weakened body to keep moving forward. The girl walked at a slow pace, well, slow for her, but he could hardly bring himself to keep up.

The villagers were all around him, speaking soft encouragement but not moving to help him as if they knew that he must do this on his own.

Mamoru felt the water pooling around his ankles before anything else, and he looked up surprised. The young girl had led him right to the ocean. She was standing in the surf, watching him. He smiled at her and she laughed, turning to run to her mother.

Stepping forward, Mamoru carried Samir out into the water until it was nearly chest deep on him. He let Samir slide forward and pulled him around in front of him. The Air God floated in the water, guided and held up by Mamoru.

The water did not need Shasa's guidance to find them and give its gift of healing. The villagers gasped in awe as the water swirled around them, shining softly with its light.

Samir's eyes opened and he pulled away from Mamoru to slip under the water. He surfaced with an exuberant cry and Mamoru let the water heal his own wounds.

"Mamoru,"

He looked up to see Samir smiling at him.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Samir suddenly began looking past him and Mamoru followed his gaze and soon they were both looking back at the villagers. One man stepped out of the group, awe in his eyes, and knelt there before them on the beach. Soon the entire village was bowing to them.

Mamoru looked at Samir and Samir shrugged.

"Oops."

* * *

Azula was at the stern training when the helmsman reported that they were coming up upon a Fire Nation ship and it had signaled for them to stop. As bad as she hated it, she nodded to the helmsman and felt the ship begin to slow.

A bolt of flame trembled at her fingertips.

"Who would dare to try and stop me?" She shouted before storming her way to the front of the ship.

She'd soon find out.

As the two ships pulled side by side, a man with the marks of an admiral stepped over to meet her.

"Ah, Princess Azula."

Azula's eyes narrowed. "Who are you?"

The man laughed lightly.

"Oh, of course, I've forgotten my manners. I am Admiral Min."

"Why did you feel it necessary to stop me Admiral?"

He smiled. "A couple of things. First of all, I ask you to relinquish the bounty on the retired general Iroh, at your father's request."

"That I find highly unlikely."

Min pulled out a scroll. "If you need confirmation, I have your father's seal."

Azula snatched the scroll and scanned over it, her eyes narrowing even more when she saw the seal of the Fire Lord at the bottom of the letter.

"And the second thing?"

Admiral Min turned and gestured to a hooded figure standing on his ship. The figure walked over calmly and stood by him, head held down. Min reached up and pulled down the person's hood, revealing a rather pretty Earth Kingdom woman.

"A maid to help your cook. He had been complaining, has he not? She's a gift, from me to you."

Azula merely looked at him. The cook had been complaining recently, but how this man she'd never met before knew she didn't understand.

"Why?"

"Why not?"

Azula sighed. "Indeed. What is her name?"

"She doesn't have one, but I've taken to calling her Kaia after the Earth Goddess."

Min fondly reached up and brushed a strand of Kaia's hair behind her ear. Azula motioned behind her and two soldiers came up and escorted Kaia below deck. Min smiled after her.

"If she starts acting up, just send me a hawk."

Azula frowned and did not respond.

"You shall drop the bounty?"

Azula nodded with her eyes still on the door where Kaia had disappeared. Min smiled knowingly, his amber eyes flickering to become solid black briefly before changing back.

"Good day, Your Highness."

Min boarded his own ship and soon he was gone.

* * *

Kaia sat on the bed of her new quarters, tears spilling over her eyes as she stared blankly forward. Even now she could feel the chains around her soul that Eimin had locked there, their strength undeniable even as he drew further away.

_How could I have been so foolish? Oh Alem, help me. Help us all. _

* * *

Iroh was sitting in his room, quietly sipping jasmine tea as he plotted out the most possible locations for Zuko's twin. He believed that the midwife would not have gone far from the Fire Nation, not if she had worked there, and he'd begin his search at the Earth Kingdom cities of Sharra and Shian.

There was a knock at the door and Iroh called for them to come in. A soldier stepped in, bearing a hawk on his fist.

"A message for you General Iroh."

Iroh nodded and took the message while the soldier took the hawk to a room where it could rest with the others. Slitting the seal, Iroh unrolled the scroll and scanned it. Soon his eyes were wide with surprise, but it was there in his hands.

Ozai wished for Zuko and him to return to the Fire Nation.

Instantly, Iroh's eyes narrowed in suspicion. Well, he was already headed in that direction, and Zuko was not with him, so he could not risk his nephew's life. He didn't care for his own; he could deal with his brother's armies in a heartbeat.

Standing swiftly, Iroh carried a message to the helmsman, a message that said to head for the Fire Nation capital of Sozun.

* * *

Azula headed downstairs to the infirmary to check on the rebel Jet. Upon seeing him lying motionless on the bed, her anger and frustration of moments before melted away. She quickly checked to make sure no one was around and sent the doctor on an errand, and then she took his place beside the fallen eagle.

A cool damp cloth found its way into her hands and she sponged his brow, absent-mindedly tucking a strand of hair behind his ear. His hair was just as soft as she had thought.

"Why did you carry me back?"

Azula easily adapted surprise into exasperation.

"You are still necessary to my purposes."

"You still need me."

Azula snorted. "No, I need your information, your insight. You, on the other hand, I do not care for. Your attitude needs some work."

Jet nearly sat up, but her hand on his chest held him still.

"My attitude? I have the heart of a saint compared to you."

Azula smirked. "Yes, a real saint. Such a saint that you ran off like a fool yesterday into a battle you knew nothing about and all alone."

Jet glared at her. "Why not alone? There was no one else."

"There was me." It was out before she could stop it, but she refused to let it seem like she hadn't meant to say it.

Jet sat up, despite the increased pressure on his chest. After a moment, she stopped pushing him down and let him sit as he pleased.

"You're going to reopen your wound."

"The doctor will wrap it again. And what did you mean there was you? You don't care for me remember?"

She threw the cloth into the bowl, the water sloshing out over the table and she spun around to face him, their faces now less than two inches apart.

"We have a deal and that means we are partners! By my honor, I will be damned if I let you get yourself killed to get out of your end! I freed your precious valley; I might face hell for it later, so you will _listen_ to me when I am looking out for your best interests! Yesterday you should've waited a moment so that I could've _protected_ you! If I had been there…"

His lips descended on hers, aptly cutting off her words, and she knew not how to respond. By the time her thoughts had returned it was over.

"Why did you do that?" Azula inquired with a sharp edge to her voice.

Jet smirked. "Because I wanted to…and to shut you up."

Azula stood pristinely, not having lost a single shred of her edge.

"Don't do it again."

His voice followed her out into the hall.

"It won't happen again until you ask, Princess Azula."

She let out a feral growl and slammed the door so hard that several glass vials in the infirmary smashed to the ground before she stalked off to train.

* * *

Ziri watched the sunrise with a feeling of apprehension. The sun was rising over his new home in the town of Sharra, and it should have given him hope. The people did not hate him because he was a fire-bender because he'd already given them reason to trust him. San would continue to teach him to use a bow and what they did after that was their own personal business.

But still, something didn't feel right.

* * *

General Zade guided his rhino from the ship and looked out over the army that the Fire Lord had given him control over. They would reach the nearest Earth Kingdom city, named Sharra, by noon. By mid-afternoon, nothing would be left of the second greatest city west of Ba Sing Se.

* * *

San was waiting for him outside the blacksmith shop and she stood and smiled when he appeared.

"Hey Ziri!"

He smiled and walked up to her. "Hey San."

She grabbed his hand and dragged him inside. "Come on, I'm going to teach you how to make arrows."

The blacksmith barely glanced at the two as they gathered steel scraps from the floor and laughed their way through the conversation by the second forge. Soon, Ziri was hammering the scraps into shape while San took a hand file and sharpened the new arrowheads he produced.

"Why do you sharpen them by hand San?"

She looked at him and smiled. "Because you can never get them sharp enough with a forge."

He smiled; his eyes on his work. After several moments, Ziri noticed that the strangely eerie scraping of San's file had stopped. Then he felt a soft fingertip tracing his scar. He yelped in surprise and jumped away, his eyes widening as they landed on hers.

San smiled sheepishly, staring at the floor. "Sorry."

He shook his head. "It's all right, you only startled me."

This time his eyes stayed on hers as she slowly reached up and traced his scar with one hand. He'd never felt any shame connected with his scar. He barely cared about it, but it seemed to fascinate San.

"San," he said softly, "We're wasting daylight."

She started as if coming out of a deep trance. "Oh, right."

And she went back to sharpening. After he'd made enough arrowheads he sat down beside her. They spent about an hour sharpening the arrowheads and tying them to the shafts of the arrows. After this San filled both her quiver and another one she produced from somewhere and she stood, pulling him up also.

"Come Ziri, there is something I want to give you."

* * *

Katara awoke to find that she was no longer staring at the starry night sky, or even the bottom of the boat deck. Instead, the ceiling above her was made of pure ice.

She snapped up straight, the blue blankets pooling about her waist, and she was dressed only in her underclothes. A wave of cold air met her bare skin and she gave a feral growl.

Dressing as quickly as she could, Katara was soon racing out of her room and down the hall. She ran until she reached the window and gave a happy cry at the sight before her.

They'd made it to the North Pole.

"We made it! Zuko! We made…" she trailed off.

_Zuko!_ Her mind supplied as she turned around and ran, calling his name as she ran. The first person she saw was Yue's father. She ran up to him, grabbing his arms and not caring who saw.

"Lady Katara…"

"Zuko," She gasped out. "Zuko, where is he?"

"Who?"

"The fire-bender that was with me! Who else?"

The king flinched. "He is with Yugoda."

Katara released him and flew out into the icy city, running to the hut where Yugoda held the healing lessons. She was there and so were the little girls, and so was Zuko, but Zuko was in far worse condition than she'd last seen him. He lay in the center of the ring on a thin blanket, devoid of nearly all clothing, and despite this he was covered in a thick sweat.

"Zuko!" she cried as she ran to him, kneeling beside his head as she shoved the girls away. Katara didn't even notice the chains binding his wrists and ankles to the ground or the guards in the shadows.

Yugoda touched her shoulder and Katara bit her lip. "Tell me true Yugoda. He is my friend."

Yugoda sighed. "It is very bad. I have seen this only once before. This young bender has chosen to reject his inner fire, to refuse to use it, but he is too strong, and it is too much a part of him. The fire is building up within him, and it is killing him."

A single tear fell from Katara's eyes to steam into nothingness on Zuko's cheek. She thought of all she had done to make him want to join them, and more tears followed.

"Can I do anything to save him?"

"You can do nothing. He must release his fire and understand that it is a part of him, not something he can refuse."

The look on Katara's face hardened. "I have an idea."

* * *

San led Ziri to her home and when they stepped inside Ziri couldn't help but look around in awe. The house was so pristine, elegantly simple, and yet so pure. She smiled at him, taking his hand and leading him down the hall to a small room.

"This was my father's study. He used to come here every night before he was killed by the Fire Nation."

Ziri's gaze flitted from the writings on the desk on the far wall to the painted scroll hanging by the window.

"San,"

He turned to face her to find her holding a short blade, a kodachi, in her hands. The scabbard was a matte black, the elegantly woven grip gleaming against her hand. Several kanji were etched against the dark scabbard and San read them.

"May he who holds this protect the innocent around him."

She held it out to him. "It can't protect anyone if it doesn't have a master."

Ziri took a step back. "I can't, I don't know how to use it. You take it."

San shook her head, her eyes filled with tears.

"No, it's a man's sword. I've tried to use it but I can't, it doesn't feel right. But I can teach you how to use it."

Two tears spilled over from her unblinking eyes. "I don't want it to sit in here gathering dust. It was father's favorite."

Ziri reached out and took the kodachi by the scabbard and in one swift movement he drew it out smoothly, the freshly polished blade reflecting his scar. There was a small ring on the end of the hilt and Ziri placed a finger through this ring, letting the blade slide and hang from this finger. It was an excellent blade for an archer.

San picked up a black obi and walked around Ziri as she tied the sash tightly around his waist.

After a moment of contemplation, Ziri sheathed the kodachi and tucked it into the obi, meeting San's teary gaze.

"I would be proud to wield your father's sword."

She smiled and he started to lean in to kiss her when a sound from outside alerted them both and they ran out.

* * *

Zuko's eyes snapped open and for a brief moment he watched the icy ground pass away beneath him. He was being half carried/half dragged somewhere, and the sharpness of the cold air was around him. He was dressed in black hakama and a dark blue tunic with white trim.

Strong hands encircled his upper arms, dragging him along by them. What had he done, where was he, why was he being treated as a prisoner? Nothing felt right.

* * *

San and Ziri stared to the west where they could see a dark line of Fire Nation soldiers surfacing over the same hill that Ziri and Midori had crested almost a week ago. The guards were rushing to the western side of the city as villagers and merchants rushed inside the walls.

San quickly ran to her bird, swinging up on its back.

"Come Ziri! The guards may need us!"

Ziri shook his head, patting the bird's neck in front of San's leg.

"No, I have to find Midori first and make sure she's safe. You go, I'll find you!"

San nodded and urged the bird into a run. Soon she was lost from his view. Ziri ran towards Sharra, begging Midori to be safe.

* * *

General Zade smirked down at the city trying to prepare for his attack. They didn't know yet that there was nothing they could do.

The first wave of soldiers hit the city hard before the guard had even summoned itself. Tanks launched their hooks, snaking over the walls before people could beat them down. Fireballs made the earthen walls tremble and destroyed buildings easily.

* * *

Ziri ran through the city, turning only to let out sharp whistle, hoping that whom he was calling was within hearing distance. He was. Tokul, his great red elk, rushed into view, pounding around the bend. He caught the elk by the horns and pulled himself up easily, settling onto Tokul's back without hesitation.

Turning, they raced around soldiers and guards, women and merchants, fireballs and arrows, until Ziri saw a familiar elk with a familiar rider in the fleeing crowds.

Midori turned Zana, her elk, and their eyes met. He nodded to her, mouthing for her to go on, and she nodded. He watched for a moment as she gathered her reins and then she and Zana were gone, racing off into the woods.

Ziri turned Tokul back towards the battle. "Run Tokul!"

And Tokul did so, speeding through the city with agility that only an elk could possess in such a hysteric situation. Fleeing women and children were everywhere, but he saw no soldiers, not yet. He rushed through a hole in the breaking wall and then he was on the battlefield.

* * *

Zuko was roughly dropped into the snow, the sharp painful cold bringing him to consciousness. He raised his head and looked around, seeing only a blur of red. He blinked, and then realized that Fire Nation soldiers surrounded him.

But that didn't quite make sense. What would the Fire Nation be doing out here in the middle of nowhere? Hadn't they given up at the North Pole? Where was Katara? What had happened?

His gaze fastened on an older soldier, his grizzled white hair blowing softly in the wind.

"Well, if it isn't the banished young prince. You're a long way from home Prince Zuko."

Zuko blinked, trying to raise his body on his hands, but wherever his strength was, it wasn't with him.

"If only your father could see what you've become, a sniveling weakling, ungrateful for and unworthy of the great gift the Fire Lord gave you, your fire."

This time Zuko managed to push himself up to a kneeling position. He didn't feel sick, not like he had earlier. Now he only felt exhausted and oh, he was so hot. The sweat poured off of him like drops of blood. The Fire Prince was seconds from just laying there in the snow and letting it cool the fire in his veins, but the man's voice held him up.

"The Fire Lord, may he live long, was right to scar you. He showed the world what you really are. Nothing, nothing at all. Did you know that he wants you back in the Fire Nation? Yes, so you can't shame him anymore."

Zuko didn't really care. He just hoped they'd kill him soon, and he wouldn't have to suffer anymore.

"Not only a coward, but now associating with Water Tribe peasants?"

Zuko's head shot up as two red-clad soldiers brought up a screaming and fighting Katara. Her clothes were torn and she was covered in dirt and dried blood, but her spirit was still there, shining in her eyes. Concern filled those sapphire orbs when she saw him.

"Zuko!"

"Katara!" he gasped out, his voice rasping.

* * *

"San!"

Ziri spotted her in the crowds of guards now beating back a battalion of Fire Nation soldiers, spitting off arrow after arrow into the fire-bending ranks. She turned and smiled at him before loosing another arrow. Tokul did not need to be urged forward, and Ziri drew the kodachi San had given him, his arm straightening out beside him as if the blade had a spirit of its own.

He was afraid. He could admit it. He was afraid for the first person that had befriended him thoughtlessly.

* * *

Zuko was afraid, something he hadn't been since he was fourteen, and he couldn't believe it, because he was afraid for Katara, his only friend.

The man laughed. "Apparently she means something to you."

He walked over and traced Katara's cheek with an absent-minded hand.

"Tell me, my prince, is she a good lay?"

Zuko let out a feral growl as Katara lunged against the men holding her, her teeth snapping together inches from the hand of the man who'd touched her. The man slapped her, a strangled cry escaping her throat.

The man turned back to him, taking a few steps forward so he was directly in front of Zuko.

"You won't say? Perhaps we should delve into the matter ourselves. Perhaps I'll let my men take her, here and now, so you can hear her screams and know you can't help her. Then I'll kill her, and soak you in her blood so you know she's gone."

Katara growled angrily, curses rolling from her mouth that Zuko didn't even know she knew. They held her wrists harshly so she couldn't bend, but if looks could kill the man would be dead. Another animalistic snarl tore from his throat, his eyes flashing as his hands curled into fists on his knees.

"Let her go." This time Zuko's voice was strong, unwavering, every ounce the prince he was.

"Let her go. I do not care what becomes of me but _let her go_! She is nothing to you."

The man grinned, but there was nothing pleasant in his smile.

"You can save her Prince Zuko."

Zuko stared at him, puzzled, and the man's grin grew wider.

"Fight me for her life you ungrateful mongrel!"

He couldn't, he'd given up his fire. He had nothing left. He couldn't protect her. For the first time since his decision to reject his element, Zuko regretted it. The sorrow must've shown on his face, for the man shrugged.

"No? You won't fight? I should've expected as much."

He turned to his men.

"Kill her."

Zuko gave a strangled cry as he saw the man drag a blade across Katara's throat. She screamed, gurgling, her hand flying to her throat, red bursting through her fingers, and then she collapsed.

* * *

Ziri saw the arrow before San did, and his heart shattered when he saw it hit its target: San's throat. It burst through, lodging in the armor of a bird behind her, and it seemed time had slowed down as he leapt from Tokul and ran to her, catching her body before she hit the ground.

"San!"

She looked up at him with dying eyes, a slow film covering the beautiful hazel.

"San," he whispered.

She reached up and touched his scarred cheek. "Ziri,"

And then her hand fell as her eyes closed and her head lolled against his arm, his chest and arms now covered in her blood.

Ziri stared around him at the death and destruction, his heart refusing to acknowledge the death nearest him, the death in his arms. He was afraid, he'd always been afraid, and he'd let it keep him from what he could've done, what he _should've_ done.

"The city…" he whispered. "The city is falling, but still I stand."

He gritted his teeth, standing, with San's body in his arms.

"No longer!" he shouted, his spirit soaring over the highest fence a body could defeat: fear.

He placed San on the ground, positioning her hands over her stomach, and then he slipped her quiver over his shoulders and took up her bow. Turning, his eyes blazed in the noon sun.

"To me Tokul!"

The elk raced up and he quickly lighted on his back. Dipping back behind the elk's huge antlers, he closed his eyes tightly, slowly feeling the heat well up within him as it had never before, feeling the same presence he'd felt the night before on the beach when he'd called to the night sky.

* * *

Zuko saw red flashing, his eyes tightly closed, his nails digging their beds into the palms of his hands until flecks of red stained the pure white snow. He felt a spirit, a presence far to the southwest, the same he'd felt on the boat, lending him strength.

He did not know when he'd gotten to his feet, he only knew he had.

* * *

Two spirits, two souls became one, joined by the bond of birth, unbreakable by any save death itself.

* * *

Flames licked up Zuko's arms, covering them up to his shoulders, the dark blue tunic smoldering. He did not see the fear or awe in the man's eyes, or the others suddenly backing away. He did not hear the soldier who had slit Katara's throat whisper, "Have we gone too far Pakku?"

He did not see the wall of ice go up between him, the man called Pakku, and the people around them.

* * *

Ziri strung the bow in one deft movement, drawing an arrow without hesitation. Tokul turned at the prodding of his knee and ran directly towards one of the tanks. The feather of the arrow tickled his cheek, his eyes seeing into the darkness of the hole in the front of the tank, seeing the fire-bender and yet not seeing him, knowing he was there because the presence told him that he was.

The arrow flew, bursting through the skull of the hidden fire-bender and on through, the steel arrowhead piercing the engine and the entire tank exploded. Tokul leapt through the cloud of steel and flame, landing easily on the other side. Ziri was not even jarred, another arrow already against the string, ready.

* * *

General Zade turned from the smoldering ash of the Earth Kingdom warrior he'd just killed at the touch of one of his soldiers.

"There my lord!"

They watched in awe as the boy on the red elk let another arrow fly, tearing straight through the eye socket of an officer and lodging in the throat of the soldier behind him.

"He's killing our officers!" Zade hissed. "He knows how we operate!"

He turned, addressing his army.

"Sons and daughters of fire! Kill the one on the elk!"

* * *

Zuko's mind was pure white, completely blank save for him and his opponent. There was nothing in his heart but pure rage. Sorrow would come later, but he'd never been so angry and yet so calm, so calculating. He saw every move his opponent made as if in slow motion, as if the man were coming from a thousand miles away.

All he wanted to do was kill this man, and make him suffer.

Katara raised her head slightly, still within the wall of ice Pakku had erected, and she was awed by what she saw. She'd never seen Zuko fight like this before. The flames were all around him and Pakku, but he didn't wield them, he guided them, as a dancer would guide their partner.

The last move of the elaborate dance before her played in slow motion, Zuko moving more as a water-bender than a fire-bender, with grace rather than ferocity. The flames flickered off the tips of his fingers as he guided them with open palms.

Then time sped up and the swirling vortex of flame that Zuko had created was slowly smothering Pakku.

* * *

Ziri didn't know when he was separated from Tokul, only that he hit the ground fighting, the kodachi snaking from its sheath and into his hand, slicing cleanly as if he'd used it all his life. Soon his dark green clothes were soaked black with blood, the blade covered in it, as well as his face and arms. Even his loose hair dripped with it.

His finger was looped through the ring of the kodachi as he set another arrow and let it fly, searing another fire-bender from life. Even as the arrow flew he spun, bringing the kodachi up to tear through the throat of another. The hot blood of the fire-bender sprayed over him and he closed his eyes, protecting his sight.

He blinked, clearing his vision, nearly all thought gone from his mind. Rage was now; pain was later. He barely registered seeing his left pointer and middle fingers broken and hanging at an odd angle from his hand and pushing them into place over the bow as he drew another arrow.

A soldier centered in his vision and he didn't hesitate as he brought the bow up and let the arrow fly. The soldier had been in the process of screaming his death when the arrow struck him in his open-mouth. Whether the fire-bender choked on his own blood or the arrow itself, Ziri didn't quite care.

Just as suddenly as this all had begun, pain exploded behind his eyes and he fell forward, his hands instinctively clutching on his weapons. He felt himself caught by a strong arm across his chest, and then the darkness took him.

* * *

Zade stared at the boy now hanging limply over his arm. Slowly, almost reverently, Zade grabbed the boy's hair and jerked his head back to see his face, and then he nearly dropped him.

"Prince Zuko!" he gasped out.

Without a second thought, he took the boy's kodachi, bow, and quiver before throwing him over his shoulders. He called one of his captain's to him. Despite the prince's flawless fighting, the city was still falling.

To his captain, he spoke. "We've got them on the run now. Move into the city. Kill all in your path."

Then Zade turned, mounted his rhino, and headed back to the ships. Fire Lord Ozai would be glad to have his son back where he could keep an eye on him.

* * *

Katara watched as the tornado of fire with Pakku at its vortex grew with each steady breath Zuko took. She looked at Zuko and could see the conflict growing in his eyes.

_**Kill him, kill him for what he did to her, kill him for all he'll do...**_

_Even murder to avenge a friend is still murder. I can't kill him..._

_**Kill him!**_

_No!_

Zuko bared his teeth, fighting the need to kill the man before him, the need to feel his life fade from the earth. Suddenly, he felt the man passing, felt it strong in his mind, felt his last thoughts speeding through his suddenly tortured mind.

"No!" Zuko screamed, tearing his arms back.

The vortex exploded outward and Katara gave a short cry, burying her face in the snow as the flames flew harmlessly over her head. Pakku sucked in a breath as the wall of ice melted with the force and power of the fire released.

Katara pushed herself up, and saw Zuko on one knee, his face downward, panting. She ran to him.

Zuko looked up when she touched his arm, and then looked around. Those he had thought were Fire Nation soldiers were actually Water Tribesmen in very old Fire Nation armor. The old man he'd fought was the master water-bender that had Katara had told him about.

Katara.

She was there, beside him, alive. Her throat was covered in red paint, but she was no worse for wear.

"Zuko," She whispered. "I'm sorry, but we had to help you. You can't let go of your fire."

"My fire saved you today."

Katara nodded and something within Zuko snapped; he was so tired, the rage and power of the moments before gone. He reached out, grabbed Katara's shoulders, and pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close. A moment later she had embraced him as well and they sat there in the snow, oblivious to everyone around them.

"Don't do that again." He said with every ounce of royal blood in him.

Katara smiled against him. She really would have to teach him to ask and not demand, but not now.

"I did it because you are my friend Zuko."

She stood and pulled him up with her. He followed her without question as she led him over to the man who had feigned to slit her throat. She released his hand and took that of the man, smiling.

"Zuko, this is my father, Hakoda."

* * *

The Fire Nation soldiers raced through the woods after the girl on the red elk. Despite their size, the rhinos managed to keep pace with the elk, never letting it gain any ground. Without warning they burst from the woods, barely able to stop before crashing into the river.

The soldiers saw the girl pulling herself and the elk across the river on a ferry. They looked to their lieutenant.

"Destroy it."

Five simultaneous fireballs flew through the air and the ferry exploded with the girl and the elk on board.

* * *

**Kodachi: A kodachi is a short wedge-shaped blade about 12-24 inches in length. **

**Obi: A sash worn around the waist. **

**Hakama: Type of pants**

* * *

**OK! Let's assess. Zuko is still kickass, Ziri has been mistaken for Zuko and captured by the Fire Nation, Jet stole Azula's first kiss, Iroh is heading back to the Fire Nation, and Midori is probably dead. Did I miss anything? Good. **

**Those of you who figured out that Admiral Min is Eimin, congrats! Cookies for everyone! Now who is Eimin? No, that's not the challenge. **

**The challenge this week is...FANART! I'm obsessed with fanart right now and would love to see some for this story! Wanna give it a shot? If you feel like drawinga piccy for me, send me the link and I'll post it on my profile! No, this isn't the real challenge, but hey! Why not? **

**(is tapping chin thoughtfully) What should be the challenge this week? Let's do a hypothesis. **

**

* * *

CHALLENGE: In your own opinion, what do you think will happen to Ziri in the Fire Nation?**

**Good luck!

* * *

**

**QUOTE FOR NEXT CHAPTER: It's pretty simple. **

**"The people they once were are dying, and they are slowly becoming who they were born to be." **

* * *

**Review so I know you love me!**


	18. Shroud Me In Darkness

**AN: Don't own Avatar. A lovely thanks to quotegarden .com. And don't tell me if I have grammatical mistakes unless it is so huge you can't ignore it. That's one of my pet peeves. And I didn't proofread this chapter. I was lazy. **

**Elenea: (stabs computer repeatedly) This didn't come out the way I planned! It's your entire fault Shiroten!**

**Shiroten: How the hell is it my fault?**

**Elenea: 'Cause I didn't plan to introduce you in this chapter! **

**Shiroten: Still not my fault. **

**Elenea: Well…just because it isn't your fault doesn't mean I can't blame you!**

**Shiroten: (shadow daggers)**

**Elenea: Well, anyway, I want to apologize. The quote preview from last chapter is off because, well, this did not come out the way I planned it to. But judging from the number of reviews I received, not a lot of you read chapter 17. If you didn't, you missed some awesome fight scenes. **

**Shiroten: Enjoy this chapter. If you didn't read chapter 17, you should. Because otherwise you'll be lost. **

* * *

There is something haunting in the light of the moon; it has all the dispassionateness of a disembodied soul, and something of its inconceivable mystery. Joseph Conrad

**Chapter 18: Shroud Me In Darkness**

Katara stood at the window watching Zuko below on the grounds as he watched the sunset. She remembered the words he'd sung to the dying sun, wishing that it would take him with it beyond the horizon, and her heart warmed knowing how he had surpassed his fears, triumphed over them for her.

She sighed, and Hakoda smiled, touching her shoulder. Turning, she smiled at him before snuggling into his embrace. It had been so long since she'd been in her father's arms. He looked over her head, following her gaze to the Fire Prince below.

"Katara,"

"Hm?"

"What is the relationship between you and Prince Zuko?"

Katara's eyes snapped open and she sighed. "We're just friends Dad."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded.

"He seems to have strong feelings for you."

"That's because I'm one of the first people to see past the fire and the scar and know that he isn't as bad as he was meant to be."

Katara's eyes narrowed in anger. "His father nearly destroyed what good there is in his heart, and I saved him. He knows this, and that's why he cares for me so. I'm his teacher, showing him how to be who he wants to be."

Hakoda looked at her and gently squeezed her hand as she pulled from his arms.

"I trust your judgment Katara, but remember, he's still a fire-bender."

Katara nodded, trying to rein in her anger, but as she looked at Zuko below, his eyes now filled with the rising moon, she thought of that night, and her anger swelled again.

"Zuko!" she called and he looked up. "Come in now, it's late."

Zuko nodded and got up, heading inside the ice palace. Katara turned away from the window and pecked her father's cheek.

"Good night father."

Katara returned to her own room and shut the door. She took off her day clothes and slipped into some lighter clothes she could sleep in comfortably. The air chilled her and unbidden she thought of Zuko. She walked over and grabbed a couple extra blankets and then headed down the hall to Zuko's room.

Knocking on the door she was surprised when it opened under her hand without being bidden. There was no sound from Zuko and she wondered if he hadn't gotten there yet, but there was a roaring fire in the grate and the bedclothes were folded back.

And there was Zuko, sitting on the sill of the large window, staring out into the night.

"Zuko?"

He turned without starting and smiled softly. "Yes Katara?"

She couldn't help but smile. "I brought you some extra blankets. I know you aren't used to this climate."

He nodded. "Thank you."

Katara shivered once again in the cold and then spread out the blankets over Zuko's bed. Then without hesitation, she crawled into the bed and pulled the blankets up to her shoulders.

"Katara?"

"Shut up, I'm cold."

A soft chuckle came from behind her. The warmth of the fire died down and Katara sighed, snuggling deeper into the blankets to make up for it. There was a burst of cold air as the blankets were pulled back, immediately replaced by the deeper warmth she'd been unknowingly longing for: Zuko's body.

His arms wrapped around her and pulled her flush against him and Katara smiled appreciatively, laying her arms over his, loving the feel of his skin against hers. His breath was warm on the back of her neck.

"Zuko?"

"Mmhm?"

Katara's eyes were soft and she stared at his hands, rough and lined with the hidden scars of his past. Her father had told her that you could tell so much about a person from their hands, and Zuko was no exception.

"Do you miss your family Zuko?"

He stiffened beside her in surprise, but relaxed after a moment and Katara bit her lip.

"I mean, um, I know they weren't the best but…do you-"

"All the time."

Katara covered her hand with hers and said nothing more on the matter, lulled to sleep by the steady beat of his heart.

* * *

Kioko stood at the edge of the plateau, feeling the barrier with the immortal side of her, and only waited for the word of who had sent her there. She knew what she was to do.

The dragons, newborn and mature, stood around her, trusting her to be all that they needed.

"Do it Kioko." Was all the Golden Dragon said as he was suddenly lounging nearby.

With a flick of her wrist, the beads wrapped around her right arm fell neatly, her hand catching the edge of them as they caught her ring. A simple movement of her hand sent them spinning vibrantly in the air around them. A green light began to glow from the beads until it was one long strip of light.

Kioko swung the light whip forward and it cracked against the hidden barrier, shattering it. The dragons needed no second bidding, flying off into the world they'd been so long forbidden from.

Agni smiled.

* * *

Ziri slowly awoke, his head pounding raggedly. He opened his eyes, the first thing that came into focus was a metal ceiling.

_Metal? That can't be. Only Fire Nation…_

Ziri gave a small cry as he understood. He was on a Fire Nation ship, he'd been captured, it was over.

"Midori," he whispered. "Don't stop running."

He was going to die as a prisoner of the Fire Nation, or worse, they would draft him into their army because he was a fire-bender. Damn, there was no way out. But there was a sense of calmness coming from his other self, the presence, and it helped him to think clearly.

As he looked around, the latter seemed more probable, for he was in what appeared to be the infirmary. His head was wrapped in bandages and his broken fingers were splinted. Other numerous cuts had been treated as well.

He raised his unhurt hand up to find that his head had been shaven except for a small tassel at the back of his head. He gritted his teeth angrily, remembering how his mother had loved his hair and made him promise never to cut it.

The door opened admitting a large man in Fire Nation armor and Ziri did not like the look on his face, not at all. A wild strength rose up within him and he matched the man glare for glare.

"It seems you have not forgotten me."

"What the hell are you talking about? I've never seen you before."

The man laughed. "You don't remember me? And I was under the impression that you had sworn never to forget. I may have changed though. I am General Zade."

The name meant nothing to Ziri and he said so. Zade laughed again.

"It was my plan you spoke out against three years ago. It was the reason for which you were banished."

Banished? What was he talking about? This wasn't making any sense. His confusion must've shown clearly on his face. Zade crossed the room to his bed in an instant, grabbed him by the throat, and shoved him harshly against the metal wall.

"Damn you for having forgotten me. Do you not even remember who gave you that scar, the reason for which you have spent the past three years at sea…Prince Zuko?"

Ziri's eyes widened. "Wh…what did you call me?"

Zade slammed him into the wall again. Lights flashed in Ziri's head as he winced and bolts of pain shattered through him like lightning.

"Prince Zuko! Your name! Prince Zuko!" Zade yelled, punctuating each word by slamming Ziri into the wall again.

Ziri gasped for breath around the fist clutching his throat, trying to see past the pain shuddering through him.

"I…am…not…Prince Zuko."

Zade growled in anger and threw him backwards. Ziri cried out as he hit the small table and slumped to the floor.

"Don't try that on me. How many people have scars like yours?"

Zade grabbed him by the throat once more and held him up. Ziri somehow didn't care that he was now treading on dangerous ground.

"So far as I know, two."

Zade backhanded him, causing him to spin and land on the floor on his stomach.

"You are Prince Zuko. The banished prince whose own father wants him dead."

Ziri felt a booted heel in his back, pressing him to the floor. "No, I'm…"

The booted heel connected with his head, and he knew no more.

* * *

A troupe of Fire Nation soldiers marched steadily towards a nearby village where they could spend the night. The leader walked ahead of the main procession with his rhino. A soldier stepped forward to speak with him as the sun began to set.

"How much farther to the village my lord?"

"Not much farther Captain. Why?"

"It is these woods. There is a rumor that a man, a man who bends the darkness my lord, inhabits these lands. The men are frightened, and frightened men do not fight well."

"It is not much farther, and I will not let my campaign be slowed by a mere rumor."

"Yes my lord."

They could see the glow from the village up ahead, and the men became heartened and their step quickened.

They soon came upon the village. But the welcoming fires, hot food, and warm beds that they expected were no longer there. The village had been completely destroyed in a matter of minutes.

The soldiers were aghast as they marched into the village, surveying the damage.

"What could cause such damage in so little an amount of time?"

"Their own darkness."

Every soldier turned to see the outline of a man against the moonless night sky, the silver rim of his eyes gleaming as he stood on the still smoking roof of what was once a house. When he spoke, the shadows trembled.

"There is nothing more destructive than the darkness of the human soul."

The Fire Nation officer stepped forward, brandishing a spear.

"Who are you? Show yourself."

The being smirked and took a step forward. They watched as the shadows flew to form a stairway from the roof to the ground before the admiral. The darkness followed him, tendrils swirling around him so he was constantly shrouded in it.

"What is your purpose here?" The officer inquired.

"I should be asking you that."

"We are here to join forces with the army of Admiral Min."

The shadows stopped whirling.

"Min did you say? Indeed. You will take me to this Min. And I will spare you."

This seemed a fair trade to the officer. Apparently there was some truth to the rumors after all.

* * *

They traveled for about a week, never seeing the stranger except for at night and maybe briefly in the morning. He never interfered with their pace or deciding where to camp at night. It was as if he was merely following them, but the officer, whose name was Fai, felt that their lives were teetering on the barest edge of a knife. They had not been summoned to join Admiral Min's force and if they could not find it, Fai was sure that the shadow-bender would kill them all.

You can imagine his relief when they saw the Admiral's force in the valley before them.

* * *

Admiral Min finished the formal report to the Fire Lord and laid the parchment to the side to dry. The candle burned brightly by his side, and there were many other candles in the room, though unlit. He was glad that he'd chosen a fire-bender as his human form. Fire was warm, destructive, powerful, and uncontrollable. It also produced light.

He smiled at this last comment. It had been so long since he'd learned that light could be used to destroy.

A soldier stepped into his tent.

"My lord, there is a young man here to see you."

"Well, send him in then."

"He asks that you fade the candle first."

Min's eyes widened, not in surprise, but in anticipation.

_Could it be?_

The candle faded to a mere flicker. "Now show him in."

A moment later the flap moved back again to admit the aforementioned young man. There was no visible part of him, his body cloaked entirely in a black close-fitting outfit with black boots styled after the Fire Nation, black gloves, a black hood and facemask, and a black cloak.

Min smiled. "My, it has been a long time hasn't it…Shiroten?"

He raised his head so his silver-rimmed black eyes could be seen, reflecting the candlelight.

"I'm surprised you recognized me."

"I knew you would come. Take off those layers; let me see what you've become."

Shiroten hesitated a moment before first divesting himself of the cloak and hood, then the heavy tunic and gloves, revealing firmly muscled arms and a sleeveless black tunic that hinted at the muscles of his chest. Wild black hair fell about his pale face. The clothes fell unceremoniously to the floor and pooled there, a mass of black cloth.

"You have grown." Min stated after a moment.

"Indeed?" Shiroten sneered. "You expected me to remain a child for nine years?"

"I expected you to die."

Shiroten couldn't disguise the look of shock across his face and Min laughed, long and cruel. The poor boy hung his head, glaring at the space between his feet, the shadows forming daggers at his fists.

"Tell me how you have survived this long."

"I learned to use the darkness I am consumed by."

Min just looked at him, waiting for him to elaborate, and Shiroten smiled. The two guards standing just inside the tent began to gasp heavily as the darkness in the tent began to grow.

"Once you begin to think of shadow as an element, it takes on form." Shiroten began.

"The shadows of the day are no more than vapor. Night shadow is like liquid, forming to whatever you wish it, becoming tangible if guided. These shadows usually only create fear and mayhem."

Min smiled and Shiroten continued.

"But the most destructive form of shadow is the darkness of the soul. Even unbidden it consumes, corrupts, and destroys."

The men behind him doubled over, wheezing for breath against the tendrils of darkness that welled up from within them, consuming and obliterating them.

"But guided," Shiroten stated laughingly, "The process of devastation is much faster."

Min laughed as the men fell dead to the ground.

"You have survived the world and now you are strong. These powers, this shadow-bending, will be very…_useful_."

Shiroten scowled at the term.

"I felt you calling, driving me from the darkness, and now I've come." He spat. "Why? Because I'm _useful_ now?"

Min stood sharply. "Why I kept you alive I don't know. You _were_ useless then, Shiroten."

Shiroten gave a sharp cry, lunging forward against sudden invisible restraints, ignoring them as best he could.

"You bastard! You needed me! You would've never escaped without me!"

"And that was your sole purpose! I never _needed_ you!"

"You are nothing without me!"

"Remember _you_ are a part of me!"

"A part of you spawned onto an innocent woman who raised me by the sweat of her brow to have you possess and destroy the boy she loved!"

He lunged once again against the restraints Min had harnessed around him.

"Why didn't you let me die?"

Min let the restraints fall, and Shiroten glared at him, his fists holding shadow daggers by his side.

"Because I knew one day I would have use for you again."

Shiroten turned towards the door slightly, his eyes filled with hate.

"You did not have use for me then, you do not now. Good bye…father."

He started to walk out. Min's eyes narrowed and every candle in the room burst into light, flaring to the ceiling, casting blinding light to fill the tent.

And Shiroten screamed, driven to his knees by the pain as the light literally burned his skin away. As he writhed on the ground he reached out to the shadows, to the darkness, but there was no more to be reached, only a tiny amount hidden in his cloak. The boy dragged his burning body across the floor to pull his cloak over his vulnerable torso; tears of pain and of sorrow streaming down his face.

"Remember, my son, that I hold the light of your soul."

Min let the light fade, faltering back to a single candle. Shiroten drew the darkness to him, letting it heal his wounds, but he couldn't stop the sobs that racked his body. What had he expected, returning to the man that had abandoned him when he was barely eight years old to fend for himself? Has he expected an apology or a welcoming father ready to accept him into his life?

Why had he cared?

Eimin viewed the shivering boy on the floor before him, his eyes dark with disgust. He could no longer see the boy's face due to the cloak, but he did not need to.

"I have a gift for you Shiroten. Compose yourself, and when you are fit to be seen, come join me."

He then walked out of the tent. Shiroten lay there for what seemed hours but was in reality only a few minutes, choked sobs forcing their way from his chest as he relished the cool darkness around him. Finally his eyes dried and hardened, anger returning to replace the void within him caused by the loss of his light.

As he stood and redressed in his complete gear, black blood pooled on the floor, his blood. He knew that once his blood had run red, but never anymore. The light of his soul had been stolen, and he was no longer human.

Shiroten tied on his cloak, pulled up the cloth that covered his face, and walked out into the night. He would know better next time that to trust his father.

The cool night was welcoming of him, and he was a part of it. The young shadow-bender quickly found his father and followed him through the many tents into a somewhat clear patch of woods. There, bound by chains unseen, was a large black two-headed dragon.

One of the heads raised and let out an eerie screech when it should been a roar. Eimin smirked.

"Ji and Kan, the silent one, the only shadow dragon borne of hellfire. He will help you on your missions."

Shiroten glared at Eimin. "I already said I won't fight for you."

Eimin smiled. "You don't understand. You do these things for me, and I will _give_ you your light."

Shiroten's eyes widened in awe and surprise. _"Give?"_

Eimin nodded. "Yes, give."

Shiroten's gaze wandered back and forth between Ji-Kan and Eimin, finally settling on Ji-Kan.

"What must I do?"

* * *

Shasa flitted through the Spirit World; searching for the man she called her husband, the only one she'd ever loved. She had something to tell him, something wonderful. She couldn't find him anywhere, but she didn't mind.

But upon finding the broken chains, Shasa's heart leapt. Finally protocol had been broken, finally he'd seen the folly in certain rules that they followed.

Agni had returned to the mortal world.

* * *

The water turned to ice, and the wind chilled everything caught in its path. The bison flying in the snow was uneasy for some reason, but those on its back were just bored, since they'd been flying for several days.

"Look Aang, I don't care. Katara's not going anywhere. We can rest a little while before we get to the North Pole."

Aang fought back a smart remark. It wasn't going to get him anywhere. Sokka just didn't understand. He _needed_ to see Katara, to hold her in his arms and know she was safe and Zuko hadn't done a damn thing to her. He couldn't wait any longer.

"Nakara! Leave Momo alone!"

The lemur flew up to rest on Aang's head, and the blue dragon, now the size of a large cat, crouched like one, watching Momo with narrowed reptilian eyes. Sokka walked up and picked Nakara up and cradled her.

"What have I told you about fighting?" Sokka lectured.

Aang smiled. He treated the young dragon like a child, but Sokka had to remember that fighting was a part of Nakara's heritage. He just had to teach her who to fight and when.

"All right Sokka. We'll take a rest. I'm sure we'll see Katara tomorrow."

"Great! Let's dive down and find a good landing spot!"

Aang nodded and gave the signal for Appa to dive down through the cloud cover, which the bison did only slightly hesitantly. Hey, what was another day? Sokka was right, Katara would still be there.

They descended through the clouds, and suddenly Momo and Nakara became beyond upset. Nakara tore from Sokka's arms and began scampering about the saddle. Momo hid in Aang's shirt. The sunlight softened as they broke through the clouds, and then both Sokka and Aang gasped.

Below them hundreds of Fire Nation ships were attacking the North Pole outer wall and black snow was falling.

"Katara!" They both cried, though they were too far to see any one person.

It wasn't a moment before Appa had been spotted. Chains flew upwards from the four nearest ship and encircled the bison, Appa being too surprised and too tired to dodge. He fought valiantly though as they were dragged down.

"Fly Nakara!" Sokka yelled as he threw the dragon off the side of the saddle.

Nakara spread her wings and with much exertion managed to get the air beneath her and soared upwards just behind Momo. Sokka drew his machete as Aang threw his glider and soared away from them. He landed on one of the Fire Nation ships and tried to fight off the fire-benders while trying to break the chains holding Appa.

He failed in both attempts. The soldiers seized him and he was quickly knocked out before the Avatar State could be induced. Sokka fought desperately to get to him but he was on another ship. The soldiers tried, but somehow they could not get near the infuriated Water Tribe boy.

* * *

He ran as fast as he could, barely feeling the cold in the air around him. To the fire-benders above him, it appeared as if he were walking on water, but they could not see the ice forming just beneath his feet as he ran. She was there, behind him, supporting him as he ran, for only he could do this.

He reached the ships that had brought the bison down and she sent him flying up with a geyser of water. Landing on the ship's deck next to the Water Tribe boy, he could almost feel the tide turning.

Two shuriken found their way to the throats of two fire-benders and Sokka turned to see someone beside him dressed as a shinobi. When he turned around, Sokka saw that his face was completely covered except for his right eye. He gasped as another shuriken flew from the shinobi's fingers and killed the fire-bender directly behind him.

_The Water Tribe boy, he is her brother. His name…_

"Sokka."

Sokka's eyes went wide. "How do you know my name?"

"There's not time for that. Get the Avatar. I will free the bison."

Sokka nodded and sprinted for the ship where they had Aang. His way was cleared of soldiers by flying shuriken and kunai. He managed to make the long jump from his ship to Aang's and turned just in time to see the shinobi leap for Appa, but there was no way he could make the jump.

Just as he started to arch down about halfway from the bison, a jet of water plumed up to meet him and froze, allowing him to land and push off again, this time landing on the back of the imprisoned bison.

Sokka threw his boomerang, knocking out the soldiers that held Aang and catching the weapon as it came back around smoothly. He hoisted the unconscious Avatar onto his back and looked back towards Appa.

* * *

It didn't take a thick cord of fire to slice through the chains holding the bison and the beast was smart enough not to stay in the water, but he nearly lost his balance and fell off as it soared into the sky. He was barely able to catch onto the edge of the saddle, hanging by the bison's side.

He then saw the Water Tribe boy and the Avatar and extended his hand, lifting them up with him. The boy, Sokka, pulled himself up and pushed the Avatar into the saddle before getting in himself and then pulling him into the saddle as well.

"Get into the city. They need help."

He said nothing more before leaping from the saddle and returning to the battle.

Sokka stared after him until he had disappeared within one of the ships. Within seconds, Appa had landed within the Northern Water Tribe's city. A young woman took Aang to the healer's and Sokka ran for the outer wall, his boomerang in his hand.

Once there, at first he tried to find Katara. The Fire Nation hadn't gotten too close yet and it was mostly the water-benders fighting now, and it wasn't long until he found Katara, but she didn't seem to be working with the rest of them. Her concentration was focused completely on something else; she didn't even notice when he said her name.

Following her gaze, he saw a shadow flit from one ship into open air, the shinobi! A pillar of ice rose up and he pushed off, soaring for the next ship in his path, and Sokka realized that the ninja was not a water-bender as he had expected. Katara was bending the water around him.

"Katara, are you all right?"

She nodded faintly but said nothing and he understood. Sokka started to walk off and see what he could do.

"No, Sokka, wait."

He turned back, and she didn't need to say anything more. He stood by her. Minutes later, she brought the shinobi skidding in on a fast-flaying sheen of ice and rocketed him up to where they stood.

"Did you do it?" she quickly inquired and he nodded, raising a hand to pull back the cloths over his face and head.

"Yeah," Zuko said. "One more fireball and they'll all be destroyed."

Katara smiled and hugged Zuko. "Only you could come up with a plan like that."

Zuko chuckled. "Comes from spending three years on a ship Katara."

Sokka was in shock. The one that had brought them more close calls with the Fire Nation, the one that had hunted them until they were exhausted, the one that had shamelessly put them all at risk during the first attack on the Northern Water Tribe, the one that had inadvertently caused Yue's death…

…was now the one who had saved him, Appa, and Aang, was the one nowlaughing and hugging his sister.

"You bastard!"

Both turned and stared at him, and Sokka was tense, ready to spring at the fire-bender.

"Wh…What do you think you're doing!" Sokka shouted but Zuko just looked at him.

Yes, the Fire Prince had changed significantly. His hair was now short and ragged, a different light shone in his eyes, and just moments before he had laughed. He seemed smaller without his armor, and had saved his life and the life of others selflessly.

But he was still the Fire Prince.

Zuko looked sad though, and Sokka couldn't bring himself to attack. Katara was biting her lip and looking away from them both.

"Look Sokka,"

"Stop using my name, you don't know me!"

Zuko winced, but continued.

"Look, it's a long story and we don't have much time. In fact, we don't have any time. They are preparing for a simultaneous attack and if we don't warn Hakoda and the others there might not be enough time to stop it."

Sokka just looked at him and Zuko sighed exasperatedly before pushing past Katara's brother and running down the length of the wall to where the warriors stood, preparing. Katara grabbed Sokka's arm and ran after him.

Zuko's mind was running faster than it ever had before, assessing the situation, forming a plan, and dismissing wild stupid thoughts within seconds. It didn't take Zuko long, relying on the feelings of his inner fire, to know that he would never reach Hakoda in time to warn him.

He skidded to a stop. There was no other choice. He just hoped he'd be strong enough. Katara stopped and stared at him.

"Zuko, what is it?"

Sokka glared at them both, but said nothing. Zuko had regressed several years, back to a time before he knew pain.

_

* * *

A boy and his uncle sat in the courtyard, away from the world and havoc of the miraculous everyday life._

"_I'm going to teach you something new today, Zuko."_

"_Really?" the young boy cried. "What?" _

"_How to stop a thousand fireballs by yourself." _

"_A thousand? I could never…" _

"_Listen to me now, nephew. Don't doubt your abilities." _

"_Yes uncle." _

"_Now," he made a flame in his hand. "If you wanted to take control of my flame, what would you do?" _

_The boy's brow furrowed in concentration. "I just reach out my hand, feel for the flame, and make it my own." _

"_Right." The flame disappeared. "But what if you had hundreds of flames?" _

"_I couldn't do the same thing." _

_He ruffled the boy's loose hair. "I knew you were bright." _

_The boy smiled. _

"_Alright, how does a fisherman catch many great big fish?" _

_The boy thought for a moment as if trying to see the relevance. _

"_He'd use a great big net." _

"_So if you want to catch many great big fireballs?" _

_The analogy that would've taken a normal fire-bender several hours took his imaginative nephew seconds. _

"_I'd use a great big net!" _

"_Precisely. _

* * *

"Katara."

She reached over, placing a hand on his arm. "I'm here."

"Don't let me fall."

She nodded. Zuko stepped forward to the edge of the wall and raised his hands. Before them Katara could see the Fire Nation soldiers lighting the fireballs and preparing to fire them. She could hear her father and the others preparing to receive the flames, knowing there was nothing they could do and that they probably would not survive the simultaneous attack.

But she stayed beside Zuko, Sokka a few feet behind her. Unknowingly, Katara wrapped an arm around Zuko's waist.

Zuko could see the cords of heat that he gathered with his mind, his hands raised before him, his fingers twitching as he worked, weaving the net before them. It would only take a spark. One fireball and the fleet would be destroyed, but they had to survive to call it a victory.

The fireballs were lit and Katara glared at the ships, her eyes narrowing in anger. She didn't notice the thin stream of blood now flowing from Zuko's nose, caused by sheer exertion, until he sagged lightly against her. Her grip tightened as she held him upright. His eyes were narrowed, concentrating on the task at hand.

The fireballs flew. Zuko tied the last knot and formed a small flame in each hand.

Katara gasped at the sight that unraveled before her. The flames formed in Zuko's hand seemed to have lit a wire, a wire that sped through the air, straight out above the water in front of them. It hit a point and erupted outwards, screaming along a predetermined pattern. In moments, there was a huge net of fire in front of the North Pole.

Zuko forced himself to take steady deep breaths, fueling the fire within him. Then the first fireball hit the net. He gasped, his eyes widening and only Katara kept him on his feet. It had _hurt_!

Katara gritted her teeth, but his weight was too much.

"Sokka, help me!"

"But…"

Cracks began to appear in the ice around them.

"Swallow your damn pride Sokka and help me!"

Sokka ran forward, wrapping an arm around Zuko and holding him upright. The thin stream of blood had become a steady flow and each fireball that hit the net was like a stab straight through his mind, but Zuko held it. He had no choice.

The Fire Nation ships began to explode, one by one, victims of the sabotage that Zuko had enacted, but still the fireballs were flying, and still they stuck fast to the net, blazing with its clasp. But Zuko's strength was rapidly dissipating, and so were the edges of the net.

As the last fireball landed among the others, Zuko drew his arms in, the net closing around the fireballs. He drew his arms across one another in a cutting motion and there was a final explosion as the fireballs and the net burst.

Sokka gave an exuberant cry and Katara hugged Zuko. Zuko smiled at his work, and then promptly passed out from exertion. This time Sokka didn't hesitate to help Katara carry the Fire Prince to the healer's hut within the city.

* * *

"My Lord Ozai! My lord!"

Ozai turned and viewed the messenger running up to him with one cold, shrewd eye.

"What?" He replied none too civilly.

The messenger did not hesitate to press himself to the floor in front of the Fire Lord.

"I am deeply sorry for having disturbed you my lord, but there is urgent news from the 37th regiment scouts!"

"What is it?" _And what could be so important that they disturb me so early?_

"My lord, they've reported Air Nomad survivors in the Achlys Mountains!"

"WHAT?"

The messenger screamed once as the flames devoured him, and Ozai glared at the pile of ash that remained of him, his fists clenched before he turned and disappeared down the hallway. A single maid ran to warn all she could find to stay away from the Fire Lord this day.

The war was about to go from mindless massacres to genocide.

* * *

Aang opened his eyes and then sat up straight.

"Sokka! Appa!"

There was a heavy weight on his feet and he looked to see Nakara and Momo curled up at the foot of the bed. Aang quickly realized that he was with the healers, surrounded by those with battle injuries. He leapt from the bed without hesitation and was about to run out when two people came in supporting a third between them.

"Sokka! Katara!"

Sokka smiled bleakly. "You using that bed Aang?"

Aang shook his head and they laid the black-clad warrior on the bed. The warrior's head fell back and Aang gasped.

"Zuko!"

Katara nodded and sat down on the floor, gasping for breath. Zuko's front was covered in blood from his nose and his breathing was shallow. Sokka sighed.

"He just saved us all Aang. And that thing he did, it had to be Avatar level fire-bending."

Katara pulled herself up. "Let me clean him up, he looks horrible."

A young woman came bustling over. "No, I'll take care of him. You rest."

Katara nodded without hesitation and sat down on the bed next to Zuko's while the woman took a bowl of clean water and began cleaning the blood from Zuko's face. Sokka and Aang took up a place on either side of her.

"So Katara, what happened after Shasa took you?" Aang inquired.

Katara looked up and smiled. "It's a long story."

And she began.

* * *

Shasa was calmly walking through the woods.

"Mamoru! Samir! I know you two were around here yesterday, now where have you gotten to?"

She continued on, hoping they might have some idea where Agni was. She was unaware of the great wings that beat the air behind her.

Once again cloaked against the sun, he sat on the back of the giant two-headed dragon, preparing to strike, his first task at hand.

* * *

Azula and Jet were walking through the woods, and Azula had been silently complaining for the past two hours, annoyed that she had decided to leave the royal escort behind. Now it was just her and the rebel brat, but she was going to find two old friends.

Jet could read every words that the princess didn't say in her movement, the twitching of her eyes. She really hated walking, and he smirked.

"Well, it was your idea."

It was the first thing said since they'd left the ship and Azula spun to face him, her eyes flashing fire.

"What!"

"It was your idea."

"What was my idea?"

"Leaving behind the escort. I told you earlier I wouldn't carry you."

"I don't need you to carry me!"

"Then stop complaining."

Infuriated by his calm tone, Azula struggled to keep from burning the forest down.

"I haven't said a word."

"You didn't have to."

Azula let out an angry cry through gritted teeth before turning and stalking away with Jet behind her. She could feel his smirk burning into her back and bit her tongue until it bled to keep from saying anything.

* * *

Shasa wandered into the clearing her heart light with her news. Then uneasiness crept down her spine, a fear that blossomed into bloom when a black two-headed dragon landed into the field before her, its black robed rider resting casually in the saddle.

He raised one hand to the sky and black tendrils formed at his fingers before spiraling skyward. They seemed to hit a barrier and snaked outwards. The noonday sun was soon blocked by the shadow, the world becoming as dark as a moonless midnight.

* * *

Azula and Jet gasped as the world suddenly went dark, tangible clouds covering the sky. Azula's eyes narrowed.

"The clouds came from that way!"

And she sprinted off. Jet drew his hook-swords before following, the amulet now pulsing warmly against his skin.

* * *

"Who are you?" Shasa shouted, her body already seeking water to bend.

The black rider lowered his hand and unclasped his cloak, letting it and his mask fall to the saddle before he leapt to the ground. He had a kunai holster on each thigh. She tensed, but he didn't seem to be more than a teenage boy. Her heart told her otherwise.

"There is no water near enough for you to bend, goddess Shasa."

Her eyes widened. _He knows who I am. _

"Who are you?" she cried again. "What do you want with me?"

"I want nothing with you, but your presence has been requested, a meeting with my superior, and I have been asked to make sure that you attend. Now, will you come with me?"

She tensed. "Who is your superior?"

"Lord Eimin."

She stared at him in shock. "No, that's not possible, he was Sealed!"

"No longer. And is that a 'no' goddess Shasa?"

"Of course! There's no way you'll get me to speak with him! He can take all his words and go back to the hell hole he crawled out of!"

The rider sighed. "I'm afraid that is not an option. But since you insist…"

He raised one hand and brought it sweeping forward. Snakes of shadow screamed from the woods around them and flew towards Shasa. She summoned orbs of blue light to block them and ran, but they were everywhere, all around her. A wave of shadow rose up from beneath her and threw her across the clearing, slamming her into a tree.

A thin trickle of blood ran down from the corner of her mouth and her eyes glowed ethereally as blue light encircled her hands. He raised his hands before him, preparing for her attack to come, and come it did.

Orbs of blue light flew from her hands, block easily by his shadow-bending, but he made no move to stop her and soon she had worn herself out. Shadows snaked forward, casting her backwards once more.

Shasa leaned against the tree, watching as the shadow-bender walked closer. She saw the silver ring of his eyes but her attention was quickly diverted by the tendrils of darkness that bloomed from her own chest and bound her to the tree.

He stopped a few yards in front of her.

"You see, goddess Shasa, no matter how fast your light travels, it will always find that the darkness had gotten there ahead of it, and it waiting to consume it. This battle is over."

"Not quite!"

A plume of lightning connected with his chest, sending him flying backwards. Azula smirked, electricity sparking at her fingertips as she viewed him. Jet stood behind her at the ready.

Growling, he picked himself up. Azula gasped when she saw that nearly half his chest was missing, not charred, burnt, or bleeding, but completely _gone_. She was even further mystified as the shadows rose up and reformed his missing half and right arm. Still, she gritted her teeth and tensed.

"My name is Princess Azula of the Fire Nation. I hate people like you, who start fights for no reason, most of all. By the time I'm done with you, you will wish you were dead!"

He smirked. "My name is Shiroten, and I _am_ dead, or close enough."

Azula stared at him in shock. Shasa let blue light erupt from her body and broke the shadows holding her. She then sprinted into the woods and away from the battle. Shiroten gave a frustrated cry before starting after her.

"Stop, you will fight me!"

Shiroten stopped and turned. Azula glared at him.

"You will fight me, and I will send you back to the pits of Hell!"

He merely looked at her before sighing.

"I am busy, Princess Azula of the Fire Nation, and you are boring."

She gasped and stared at him, the fact that she'd just been sincerely insulted unable to register.

Shiroten waved a hand idly. "Ji-Kan, take care of the wench and her lover."

He then sprinted away into the woods. The two heads of the dragon roared simultaneously. Jet gulped and Azula tensed, ready to battle.

The dragon attacked first, sending identical plumes of shadow fire towards them, which Azula tried to divert.

"I can't bend it!" she cried to Jet.

He grabbed her around the waist and dodged the flames.

"That's because it's shadow, not fire!"

The dragon was beyond quick, the two of them hard pressed to dodge it, let alone wage an attack of their own. Azula was a step ahead of Jet as they ran, and she had formed a plan.

"Separate from me Jet!"

"What?"

"Just do it!"

He nodded and sped away from her. She watched him go, but hesitated just a moment too long. The dragon's spiked tail flew up to meet her, one of the spines burying itself in her shoulder as it flung her against a tree. There, the darkness took her.

"Azula!" Jet cried, but he too was too late to dodge the dragon, brought down by his care for another.

Ji-Kan trapped him beneath a claw and both heads hovered above him, hungry for human flesh.

* * *

Shiroten flew through the shadows after the light ahead that was Shasa. She could not run faster than he in his home element. They burst out onto a cliff overlooking a raging river that ended in a enormous waterfall. Shasa stopped at the edge, then turned to find Shiroten between her and the mainland as she stood on a protruding ledge.

"Now, you will come with me to meet Lord Eimin."

She shook her head desperately and he sighed.

"This is getting boring, goddess Shasa, and my patience is gone. You are out of options."

She stared at him, her heart pounding as her heels brushed the edge of the cliff. He did not step towards her, merely looked at her, as if daring her to leap over the cliff.

Shasa thought of what she had to tell Agni, of the life she carried, of the world that needed her, of the people that looked to her for hope, and then she thought of Eimin, the very god of death that she helped Alem to Seal all those years ago, and a single tear fell down her cheek as Shiroten waited for her to make her decision.

Shasa closed her eyes…and leapt from the cliff.

* * *

**AS--oooo...cliffy!**

**shuriken: throwing stars, ninja stars, etc. **

**kunai: throwing knives. **

* * *

**No challenges or quotes this time, but I do have a couple of polls. **

**Poll #1: Which pairing would you prefer?**

**Sokka/Midori**

**Sokka/Suki**

**Poll #2: How do you feel about long chapters? (Just post the number of your choice if you vote) This chapter was about 7400 words for reference. **

**1. I love long chapters! Longer the better!**

**2. They're okay, just don't write a whole novel, k?**

**3. Keep it between 1500 and 2000 words. **

**4. Long? RUN AWAY!**

**VOTE NOW!**


	19. Before the Sun Sets

**AN: YAY FILLER CHAPTER! No action, just lots of monkey business that's necessary and such and…welll…the next chapter will be full of action. **

**Okay, I want to explain. Zuko and Ziri are connected and influence each other, but if something happens to Zuko, it doesn't necessarily happen to Ziri. They sort of draw on each other's strength when they need it. There's going to be a situation in this chapter where they are communicating, but know that Zuko doesn't know what's physically going on, he can only hear Ziri's thoughts and emotions, not what he says or what is said to him. **

**

* * *

WARNING: Zuko/Iroh angst/flashbacks; Kataang (hides from ZFM) **

* * *

He who has nothing to die for has nothing to live for. -Moroccan Proverb

There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls. -George Carlin

**

* * *

**

Chapter 19: Before the Sun Sets

Damek was the only one waiting at the dock when the ship arrived.Ursa rushed happily into his arms, feeling secure for the first time in so long.

"Did you take care of what you needed to take care of?" he inquired.

She nodded against his chest, smiling softly as he ran his hands over her hair. But just as suddenly as her world had come together did a single piece of it fall away. Her mind had just been about to supply the fact that she had never loved anyone as much as she loved Damek, but her heart stopped it before it formed.

The problem was that she had loved someone as much as she loved Damek. She had loved someone much more than she loved him. But things had gone wrong and she'd decided that they were just not meant to be.

Pushing these thoughts from her mind, she huddled deeper into Damek and he tightened his arms around her, thinking that she had missed him. The truth was that she had barely thought of him while she was gone. Her hands burned, remembering the slightest touch of _his_ hand on hers.

Tears formed in her eyes and she gritted her teeth, pushing them back. It would never be, she had stopped loving _him_ a long time ago.

* * *

Iroh watched the waves as they rolled by, listening to the ship as it took them closer to the land of his birth. He was so tired, tired of the war and of everything. He couldn't stop thinking of Zuko, and of Agni, and of _her_. _

* * *

Flashback… __

* * *

The Agni Odouri is alwaysmy favorite part of the Fire Nation Festival, but tonight seems particularly perfect. _

This was the thought of the eighteen-year old Prince Iroh. His younger brother Ozai was a few feet away, sulking in the shadows.

"Come on Ozai! You're missing the fun!"

"Hn, that's not fun."

Ozai had been looking all night for some way to mess his brother's day up, but nothing could break Iroh out of this mood.

Iroh danced among the commoners, danced by himself, danced with others, and they laughed, sharing his good mood. Then the dancer on the stage changed and Iroh stopped, mesmerized.

The girl was beautiful, the red silk complementing her perfectly as the gauzy fabric tied to her wrists floated around her. The flames licked nearer to her, but she never hesitated, though the fire was clearly not her own. It was rare for a non-bender to become a skilled Agni Odouri dancer, but she had.

Iroh was entranced. When the girl's dance was over, he dug through his purse to find the coin he wanted. While others tossed copper coins to the girl, he tossed a gold piece.

* * *

The firelight caught on the gold piece making it shine as it fell perfectly on target at her feet. While her sisters clambered for the coins, she quickly snatched the gold piece before they did. Her eyes scanned the crowd until they fell on the dark-haired prince. He smiled at her and then disappeared. 

She quickly fell back behind the curtain and then darted off to find the prince. When she finally stumbled back across him, he was standing on a balcony overlooking the palace gardens.

"My lord,"

He turned around and smiled at her. "Come, watch the fireworks."

At his words, the sky lit with the first of the fiery creations. She stepped forward shyly, his gold piece clutched to her scantily clad chest. Upon reaching his side, she shoved her fist forward as she turned to face him, her face downcast.

He looked at her closed fist then at her. "What?"

"Your gold piece."

"I gave it to you."

She shook her head. "It's too much. I don't deserve it."

He tilted his head. "What coin people give is a representation of how the dance affected them. In my eyes, you do deserve it."

She said nothing, and after a moment, he closed his hand around her wrist and pushed her arm back to her chest.

"The coin is yours."

She said nothing, and he turned back the fireworks.

"Beautiful aren't they?"

She said nothing. He turned and saw the distraught look on her face, and sighed.

"If you still feel you don't deserve it then let me get my money's worth right here, right now."

Her head snapped up, searching his eyes for perverse intent, and upon finding none, her gaze became inquisitive rather than defensive.

He held out a hand. "Dance with me."

She smiled. _Not dance for me, but dance _with_ me. _

She took his hand and, as she had still been holding the gold piece, it was now pressed between their hands. He pulled her closer, placing her free hand on his shoulder and then laying his hand on her waist.

And they danced by the light of the moon and to the music of the stars.

_

* * *

End Flashback _

* * *

Iroh sighed. Things had been so perfect, and then they'd gone so wrong. That horrid day so soon after the best night of his life had torn his heart apart. He shoved these thoughts away and thought of his nephew, who needed him now more than ever. Besides, he'd stopped loving _her_ a long time ago.

* * *

"I didn't think that there were such things as shadow-benders." 

Eimin smirked and sipped the hot wine the young goddess had provided for their meal. Keilantra watched him, completely ignoring the food and drink, constantly wary of the god of death.

"There aren't really shadow-benders. I use the term loosely."

Keilantra's eyes narrowed. "I suggest you elaborate."

Eimin smiled and waved his hand. "You most of all should know that shadow and darkness can be thought of as an element. It's…"

Keilantra sighed. "Yes, I know. There are five elements, water, earth, fire, air, and spirit. Spirit can be divided into light and darkness, or shadow. But I've never heard of a spirit bender, unless you count the gods."

Eimin's smile grew. "Yes. You know, before Shiroten joined me, he was a happy earth-bender in some nameless village in the Southern Earth Kingdom. When he came to me, I could barely stand to be in his presence."

"You took the light of his soul."

"Yes."

Keilantra looked away. "I can't…how dare you Eimin, of all things…"

Eimin's smile disappeared and he stared into his now empty cup, his brow furrowed in contemplation. For a moment, something like regret passed his eyes, and then he merely continued.

"When I took his light, he became something other than human, his spirit torn apart. Without his light, he was nothing but shadow. I believe he can wield the darkness because he is part of it."

Keilantra nodded before a single tear fell from her eye.

"I can't imagine someone solely composed of darkness. Even I, even you, have a small amount of light in our souls. You know that without his light…"

"Yes, I know." Eimin said softly. "Without his light, Shiroten will die."

"It doesn't matter to you does it?"

Eimin paused. "No."

Keilantra shook her head before standing and walking out of the tent. Eimin didn't even look up when she left, now speaking more to himself than to her.

"My son was born to be a tool, but he has proven himself more useful than I planned him to be. He will be a great asset to my plans, and when he dies, his spirit will be reabsorbed into my soul. I cannot lose."

He stood, draped the red silk cape around his shoulders, and stepped out into the setting sun. Today, he had a specific mission.

"Captain Fai."

"Yes Admiral Min?"

"You are to lead the men to the rendezvous point. I will join you there."

A large black stallion pranced in the hands of a soldier. Horses were much faster than Komodo Rhinos for fast traveling, and he had much distance to cover. Mounting easily, Eimin spun the horse around and took off towards the north.

* * *

Shiroten knelt at the edge of the cliff and sighed. He surveyed the raging river below, the water goddess lost in its flow. He would have to be a fool to follow her into her home element, and so he straightened. 

"Revel in your false sense of freedom, goddess Shasa." He said simply.

Glancing up, his brow furrowed. "The sun will soon set, and no matter how much water you can find, nothing will save you from this night, for then I will not have to waste my energy blocking the sun."

He turned and stepped into the woods, letting the shield of shadow against the sky shrink with his departure.

"Ji-Kan!"

* * *

The two-headed dragon froze inches from Jet's head. The rebel stared into the dragon's maw as it roared in frustration. Lifting him easily, Ji-Kan flung him into a tree and then flew to his master.

* * *

Landing lightly, Kan pushed his head into Shiroten's hand. Shiroten found his cloak and pulled it on as the setting sun burst into full view. He then climbed into the saddle and took up the dragon's reins. 

"We will rest before nightfall."

Ji-Kan hissed his approval before taking to the skies, winging towards the darkening east.

* * *

The waterfall emptied into a vast lake which fueled a large river. This river ran swiftly for several miles until a section of it branched into a small stream. This small stream ran downhill to provide the main source of water for a small Earth Kingdom mining town, recently liberated from the Fire Nation when the town's earth-benders returned from imprisonment. 

Now, by the stream, a young earth-bender practiced his bending, having finished his chores. Once his bending had to have been hidden, a secret art, but now, thanks to the words of a young water-bender, his talent was free to express itself.

He picked up a light boulder easily and with one smooth motion he sent it crashing across the stream. It was only then that he noticed something in the water. Upon closer inspection, he found it was a woman dressed in blue. He pulled her out of the stream and checked to make sure she was still breathing.

Seeing blood on her skirt, he quickly gathered her into his arms and ran back to the village with her, seeking medical aid.

* * *

Returning to the conscious world, Shasa stirred slightly as she opened her eyes to find herself lying on a reed mat, covered by a thick dark green blanket, in what appeared to be a comfortable Earth Kingdom home. An older woman was washing clothes nearby. 

She sat up, revealing the dark green clothes she wore, slightly too large for her and clearly having belonged to a man.

The door opened, admitting an elder man and his dark-haired son. The boy smiled at her. Judging by his frame, they were his clothes that she was wearing. She gratefully returned his smile.

The elder man disappeared deeper inside the home after a kind word to the woman and the boy fetched a small pitcher of water and a few other things.

"Water?" He offered as he poured her a cup of the crystalline water.

She nodded and enthusiastically gulped the water that he gave her. He refilled her cup without hesitation and let her drink her fill. She watched over the rim of her cup as he stood and helped the woman, his mother, hang the wet clothes up outside to dry. Shasa recognized her own blue dress among them.

When the boy returned, she had wrapped the blanket around her, suddenly chilled in fear of asking. He knelt beside her.

"Mother says supper will be ready soon if you are hungry. It isn't much, but we just got rid of the Fire Nation. By the way, my name's Haru."

Shasa smiled. "Thank you for your kindness, Haru."

He waved a hand nonchalantly. "It wasn't a big deal. I couldn't just leave you there now could I? But it was a good thing I found you. Mother says that if it had been a few minutes later, you might've lost the baby."

Shasa's eyes widened. "Might've?" she gasped out, a hand flying to her stomach. "I thought surely…but…no?"

Haru shook his head. "No. Our village healer says that the baby is fine and with rest, so will you be."

Shasa's body shuddered once and then she flung her arms around Haru and sobbed with relief.

* * *

Jun acknowledged the setting sun with a watchful gaze. Rou glanced up from his place in the saddle as she pulled the shirshu to a stop, and then returned to twirling a scroll between his fingers, his gaze captured by the darkening sky. 

She turned in her place and viewed the boy in the saddle behind her, except he was no longer a boy. As if escaping the Water Temple had released some hidden part of him, Rou had grown in every way imaginable during the past few weeks.

He was now a few inches taller than her, his face and body much more mature, and the clothes that were now much too small for him only made him seem larger. His hair was much longer, now falling around his shoulders and around the face that had once looked only to her for protection now showed some semblance of wisdom eons beyond her comprehension.

The kanji around his wrists and ankles stood out against his fair skin, not quite as pale as the Fire Nation but not as dark as the Earth Kingdom, marks of the power he could summon at his will, power that could steal the life of those he chose. She still didn't know all the secrets behind this.

Qing-Yuan had been right about him being special, being powerful. She had been wrong when she said that Rou could hurt her. Jun smirked now as she recalled the encounter. When the Sage had spoken of Rou's gift, she'd spoken as if he possessed something far beyond his control. Nothing was further from the truth. Rou knew exactly what he was capable of.

She tilted her head and pulled herself back to reality.

"We should set up camp."

Rou sat up, his thick silver hair falling into his eyes, casting them into shadow, but not even this slight darkness could mar the nearly white orbs whose gaze he now cast towards her with a slight tilt of his head.

"You sure? There's a little time before sunset, we could go a bit further."

Jun nearly smiled. There was another sign of Rou's ability. He had grasped the common language as if it were his native tongue, though he still intermittently used words of his own language, claiming that he didn't like that particular word in her tongue. She'd been informed that his language was the 'ancient' language, used by mythical creatures and the gods.

Rou blinked. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Just thinking about how much you've changed." Jun offered unwillingly and Rou waited for her to continue. "Well, for starters, you never questioned my choice to stop for the night."

He shrugged. "I don't like darkness. But tonight, the Ki-lin are dancing."

"Ky-lin?"

"I don't like your words for them. It's so childish."

Jun sighed exasperatedly. "Can you say it once so I know what you're talking about?'

Rou leaned back on his hands and regarded her for a moment before relenting.

"All right. The word for the Ki-lin in your tongue is 'unicorn.'"

"Unicorns?" Jun said incredulously, her tone layered with ill disguised disgust and Rou gave an exasperated sigh.

"See? The image your memory gives you is of those innocent and helpless creatures that children draw up in their fragile imaginations. Real Ky-lin are nothing like that. They are fierce and proud. Their purity is of fire, ethereal and very precarious."

His gaze ventured up to the slowly appearing moon.

"They will dance tonight, a dance as old as time itself, and I want you to see it. You'll never get another chance."

Jun turned back around and snapped her whip, sending the shirshu on into the forest.

"Just tell me when to stop Rou."

Rou nodded, his eyes still on the moon. They'd been running for a moment when Jun felt his hand over hers. Her head snapped up to find him right beside her.

"Rou…"

"I'll guide him. You'll never find the place in time."

She unconsciously nodded and let him slide into her place. Shirshu gave an extra large leap just at her point of most unbalance and Jun nearly fell forward into the saddle, reaching her hand out to stop herself. She stopped a few inches above the saddle and looked back.

Rou had caught her, his arm wrapped around the front of her waist, and her grasping hand had latched onto the front of his shirt. The scene would've been romantic if they hadn't been on the back of a shirshu that was leaping through the woods.

As Jun settled back into the saddle and Rou guided Shirshu through the ever-changing forest, she found herself wondering once more just what her little Rou was, and what gift the gods had seen fit to bestow her with by just allowing her his presence.

With this thought, Jun drifted off to sleep.

* * *

After Zuko was taken care of and had fallen into a healing sleep rather than the discordant state of unconsciousness, Katara, Sokka, and Aang headed out into the elegant tundra that was the Northern Water Tribe. 

Katara smiled and listened quietly while Aang recounted everything that had happened to them since they had parted, and Sokka just kept an arm around her as if he would never let her out of his sight again.

When Aang was done and at his prompting, Katara calmly described her experience on the island with Zuko, while leaving out certain parts about a certain night. She also left out the event behind Zuko's scar.

When she was done, Aang's brow was furrowed and Sokka was looking out into space.

"What?" Katara inquired, taken back by their somewhat foul expressions.

"Do you know why Zuko just suddenly decided to join us?"

"Of course I..." Without warning, Katara just stopped, her mouth slightly parted, still forming the next word she was going to say, but something had occurred to her.

Yes, Zuko had stopped fighting with her, rarely said anything condescending or insulting, had lived in the Northern Water Tribe for over a week and helped fight against his own nation, but he had never said that he would stop seeking to capture Aang or even join them on their travels.

Katara bit her lip, staring at the swirling water below her feet. She had never thought that Zuko might not accompany them, but if he still wanted, no, needed to capture Aang, then how could he? She couldn't imagine life without him now. He was as much a part of her as Sokka and Aang were; a piece of her spirit was bound to him.

* * *

Zuko stared at the ceiling of the hut, his heart pounding raggedly in his chest. 

_Now I've killed even more Fire Nation soldiers…_

_Why don't you just give up? You know you won't get back into the Fire Nation now. _

_Yes I know, Azula will rule. _

Azula. Now that was a name he didn't utter often. A silly fight had driven t his wall between them, and then it hadn't mattered anymore.

He rolled over on his side, and then stood. Azula wasn't a piece of his life anymore.

_I don't give up because…it would hurt her._

He went outside to find her.

* * *

"Katara?" 

She shook her head lightly. "I really don't know, because I don't know what he's going to do."

Sokka just stared at her. "What do you mean? I mean he just saved the entire Northern Water Tribe by himself, if he's not on our side then who's side is he on?"

"That's a complicated answer and the truth, Sokka, is that I really don't know."

The three of them spun around to see Zuko calmly standing behind them. Katara smiled and leapt up.

"Zuko! Are you feeling all right?"

He returned her smile. "Never better."

She didn't need to know it was a lie. He could tell in her eyes that she was eager to change the conversation and he spoke quickly to prevent this from happening.

"I am sure that I don't know which side I am on, so I believe it is safe to say I am on no one's side. But you are my friend, Katara, and I will fight beside you."

It was the simplest declaration, and Katara caught every hidden meaning those words. She was the tie that bound Zuko to his goodness, and Shasa forbid that she take it from him.

Sokka nodded simply, accepting this. It was clear what Zuko had said. Though he had not denounced his heritage, he had stated that he was no longer their enemy. Only time would tell from here.

Aang was still staring forward, and looking back, Katara noticed he wasn't blinking, only staring at the water flowing with something new in his eyes that she'd never seen in him before. His face was contorted in something that looked almost like he did in the Avatar State. In fact she found herself waiting to see the blue glow emanating from him.

Zuko looked at the young Avatar, and unlike Katara, he could recognize the emotion rampaging over the child. Alem knew he'd seen it enough. It was pure unfounded hatred.

"Zuko, who is the Son of Agni?"

The question caught him off-guard. He'd been expecting a full out accusation geared towards him and things he hadn't, and had, done. For a moment, Zuko stared blankly at the Avatar who was now glaring at him with storm gray eyes, before wracking his memory for an answer.

"The only son of Agni that I can think of is Nuri."

Aang's eyes lit up. "And who is that?"

"He was the first Fire Lord."

Aang cursed, Katara and Zuko stared, and Sokka flinched. Zuko felt a flicker of fear as that angry gaze turned back towards him.

"Are you sure? You can't think of any others, closer to this time?"

Zuko shook his head and Katara placed a calming hand on Aang's shoulder. It was then that she noticed he'd grown several inches until they were the same height. Aang turned and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight embrace.

"It's something Shasa said, that you belonged to…to…"

Aang didn't continue, instead tightening his grip on Katara and she closed her eyes, suddenly blatantly aware that she had barely thought of Aang during their time apart and he had obviously pined for her. Aang then pulled back slightly and kissed her.

Sokka looked away, but Zuko couldn't. Time…and his heart…had stopped when Katara closed her eyes and kissed…that…_child_…back.

_I should've known I should've known I should've known_

_**That ungrateful…**_

_I should've known I should've known I should've known_

**…_insensitive…_**

_I should've known I should've known I should've known_

**…_unethical _barbaric_…_**

_I should've…you…shut up. _

**…_disgusting…_**

_I said SHUT UP!_

Sokka looked up and suddenly was taken aback by the look of pure shock on Zuko's face. The prince must've felt his gaze for he quickly masked it and motioned to Sokka for them both to leave. The two walked away side by side, leaving Katara and Aang to have some time by themselves.

Even though he felt surely otherwise, Sokka managed to convince himself by the third fireball that Zuko threw in the frozen field of tundra about a mile from the city that the prince's look at that kiss had been purely shock and not something else…like heartbreak.

* * *

Jet slowly woke, and pushed himself into a sitting position before he stopped to think about the consequences, but they showed up fast. A blinding pain shot through his back and a hand flew back to the source of the pain. Drawing his hand away, it was covered in blood. 

"Damn."

The wound must've opened again. Silently he cursed this crutch as he struggled to his feet and viewed the clearing. A startled and unbidden gasp burst from him as his eyes settled on a crumpled pile of red cloth.

"Azula!"

He raced over to her limp form, ignoring the shattering pain from his back. He turned her over and stared into her normally pristine face, now covered in dirt and bruises, her eyes closed.

"Azula!" He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her up, only then noticing the wound in her shoulder. The dragon's spike had pierced clean through.

"Azula, wake up! Open your eyes!"

She remained unresponsive, and she wasn't breathing.

"Damn you bitch!"

He laid her back down, and leaned in, desperate to force life into her deflated lungs.

Azula's eyes snapped open as he was bare inches from her mouth.

_SMACK_

"PERVERT! HOW DARE YOU ATTEMPT SUCH A THING!"

"I WAS TRYING TO SAVE YOUR LIFE!"

"MY LIFE DIDN'T NEED SAVING!"

"IT DID FROM MY POINT OF VIEW!"

Azula would have retorted but she'd just noticed the pain emanating from the debilitating wound in her shoulder. She hissed, feeling her inner fire burn away any contaminants, but she was still losing a lot of blood.

When she looked up again, Jet had taken his shirt off and was kneeling in front of her.

_**SMACK**_

"What are you trying to do now baka!"

_SMACK_

Azula stared forward, away from Jet, her head forced sideways by the force of his blow, but her mind was more shocked than her body.

_He…he slapped me…_

_**You deserved it. **_

_But he…retaliated. He fought back…_

_**But you still deserved it. **_

A jolt of pain brought her back to reality. Turning her head around, she saw Jet using his shirt to tie off her wound. She hissed in pain once more as he knotted the cloth. After a few moments, she felt the blood flew lessen and then stop all together.

"Jet…"

He stood without looking at her. As he did so, she noticed the bandages around his torso were bathed in blood.

"Come on princess." His voice was laced with pain.

"I hope wherever you were headed is nearby, for you aren't going to make it far with that wound, and I'm not carrying you."

Azula smirked, pulling herself to her feet.

"Like you could carry me with your back like that."

She turned and started off in the direction of the former city of Omashu.

"It's your fault my back is like this."

She smiled, and so it continued.

* * *

Sokka watched the Fire Prince train, seeing the frustration in his eyes if something didn't turn out quite right. This was the Zuko he knew, not the Zuko he'd seen back there with Katara. 

"Zuko, are you really all right?"

Zuko froze in his position, one arm outstretched in front of him, but no fire came this time. He straightened and looked at Sokka.

"What do you mean?"

"When Katara asked if you were all right, you said 'never better.' I think you lied."

Zuko stared at the ground in front of him, his eyes dark.

"You don't understand."

Sokka sighed. "You're right, I don't. I don't like you Zuko, you're a fire-bender, completely ignoring the fact that you've been trying to kill us, but Katara expects me to trust you. How can we be comrades, even friends, if you won't be truthful to us?"

"I never tried to kill you. I wouldn't do that."

Sokka stared at him and Zuko continued.

"You see, you _don't_ understand. You label all fire-benders that same way, probably because of what happened to your mother."

Sokka leapt up, drawing his boomerang. "How dare you speak about my mother!"

Zuko looked at him and Sokka stepped back out of his aggressive stance, shocked once more by the look the Fire Prince wore.

"I lost my mother too, Sokka, when I was six. She committed suicide rather than live with my father."

Zuko looked down.

"I grew up in that pain, that anger. I saw it in my mother's eyes but she always hid it with a smile. I thought she loved me and Azula, but then she left."

Sokka sheathed his boomerang and took a step towards the prince as Zuko wrapped his arms around himself and turned away.

"All my life, people have been leaving me. My mother was only the first, but then my sister, my father…my father banished me because he was ashamed of me and my uncle…" He froze, thinking of his uncle, and then said nothing. "Katara promised to stay with me, and I almost can believe she genuinely cares about me."

Sokka placed a hand on his shoulder but Zuko barely acknowledged it.

"But now I'm afraid that I'm going to wake up after only seeing the beginning of my dream…a dream where…"

He paused, and then shook his head. "This will never be reality."

"But this is reality Zuko. You know, you and I aren't that different after all."

Zuko looked at him and Sokka smiled.

"3 years ago, my father left the Southern Water Tribe to fight in the war, and when he left me, I was sure it was because I wasn't a strong enough warrior yet. So I worked hard to become what he expected."

Zuko stared at him, mouth slightly agape.

"3 years?"

"Yes, but after a while, I realized something."

Their eyes met.

"I realized that my father was proud of me no matter what I did. And I'm sure that…"

"I know what you are going to say. You want to say that you're sure that my father is proud of me merely because I am his son. You truly know nothing of the Fire Nation."

Zuko, having looked away after stating this, now turned back to Sokka.

"We share a dream Sokka, but you will get yours before I ever get mine. 3 years ago…you were fourteen right?"

Sokka nodded.

"3 years…3 years ago, instead of doing what was expected and following law and tradition, I spoke out against the mindless slaughter of innocent people. 3 years ago, I was banished from the Fire Nation until I had captured the Avatar."

"No way. Then that's why…"

"Yes. You see Sokka, Fire Lord Ozai cares nothing for the fact that I am his son."

"That's impossible. No father could care nothing about his son."

Flames formed around Zuko's fists as he lunged at Sokka.

"Do you want my proof?" he shouted. "Look at my face!"

Sokka stared at him. "What?"

"3 years, Sokka, 3 years ago I was scarred by fire, scarred by my own father, and now he was to capture me and imprison me so I can never shame him again."

Zuko turned away, towards the never ending tundra.

"We both dream of our father's acceptance, but you will receive yours when you run back to the city and find that your father is there, and run into his open and welcoming arms. I will never receive mine."

Then he walked away.

* * *

Samir and Mamoru left the village that had been their home for the past week. The Air God had a huge smile on his face as he patted the neck of the ostrich he was riding. 

"How kind of the villagers to give us these. I'm naming mine Dao."

Mamoru rolled his eyes and clicked the bird into a faster pace which Samir easily followed.

"Remember why we're out here?"

"Of course. It's to find my son!"

"Right, and to find Zuko and tell him that he's the Son of Agni."

"I know, I know, stop rolling the same stuff around in my head like a rock."

"I am an Earth God, what do you expect?"

"Sincerity, stability, strength, and the knowledge of when to shut up."

"And from an Air God, I expect unpredictability, rashness, uncouthness, and an uncanny attraction to any and all animals. So I guess you're query is fulfilled."

Samir frowned before throwing an airball at the back of Mamoru's head then snapped away from him as Mamoru turned around and glared at him. He looked back innocently.

"What?"

Mamoru sighed then turned back around; urging the bird to a faster pace and the two disappeared into the forest path.

* * *

It had been over a week Ziri determined, over a week since he'd seen sunlight and smelled fresh air. His wounds had healed thanks to an imprisoned water-bender, but still his body ached. Zade and the others hadn't taken well to the fact that he claimed he was not this Prince Zuko, and had decided to beat the truth out of him. They hadn't given up yet, but how could he admit a truth that wasn't true? 

Slowly, he pushed himself up onto his hands and knees. Instead of the warm infirmary, he was now trapped in a cold cell, no light save for the waning candle by the guard, a light that might as well have been a thousand lives away. Sitting back, Ziri rubbed his hands together and blew on them, watching his breath freeze in the air. Did they purposely keep it cold down here?

He didn't realize he'd said this out loud until the guard responded.

"It's cold to make it harder for you to fire-bend."

"I don't know how to fire-bend."

"Right, and I'm really the insane Earth King Bumi."

Ziri looked up and peered at the guard. "No, he's smarter than you."

"Why you little…"

The door opened, preventing the guard from murdering him. Zade stood there with three soldiers.

"Place the prisoner in chains and bring him on deck. We have arrived."

Ziri didn't fight as the soldiers unlocked his cell and put chains on his hands.

"And where is it exactly that we have arrived?"

Zade smiled over his shoulder as he led the way up to the deck.

"The Fire Nation capital city of Sozun."

Ziri gasped when he was pulled up onto the deck, not from fear, but from awe. They were docked in an enormous harbor, and in front of them were the great walls of the city. Standing even taller the walls, he could see the highest spires of the palace looming above them.

"Whoa."

Zade was smirking at him as they descended into the city.

"Feel good to be home?"

Ziri frowned. "You burned my home, remember?"

"You won't give up on that will you?"

"I can't give up on the truth."

"You insolent brat! You continue to lie! How dare you…"

Zade stopped dead as Ziri yawned pointedly in the middle of the street, causing a few of the onlookers to snicker.

"Look, I've heard your whole 'honor' speech a hundred times. I don't care, or hasn't that gotten through your thick skull yet? By Shasa, you're thicker than a hog-monkey."

This earned more snickers and Zade reared his hand back to hit him.

* * *

Zuko felt the anger he'd come to know so well flare up within him, and performed a basic spinning kick, bringing his foot down on an invisible enemy.

* * *

Ziri felt the presence of his other self well up, burning with anger, and then he found himself spinning 360 degrees and bringing his foot up and then down on the sensitive point where Zade's shoulder and neck met. 

The general gave a startled cry and then collapsed to the ground. Ziri snatched his chains from the unconscious general's hands and then gave the palace before him a scrutinizing look.

"Wow, even banished the prince is really good."

Ziri turned towards the giggling teenage girls.

"Sorry ladies, but I'm not the prince."

They giggled and the tallest smiled at him.

"Whatever you say handsome."

She winked at him and then she and her companion walked off into the growing crowd. The soldiers were staring at their fallen general, not knowing quite what to do, and Ziri turned towards them.

"So, how do we get to the palace?"

"W-What?"

"How do we get to the palace? That's where you're taking me, right?"

"Of course, Prince…"

"I'm not Prince Zuko, remember? So let's go! I'm tired of standing here. It's hot out."

"O-of course."

The soldiers formed a circle around him again and led him towards the palace while a couple stepped out of line to fetch a stretcher and follow with the general. Ziri felt his confidence die as he viewed the imposing palace.

Slowly they climbed the steps to the palace and the guards standing at its doors opened them for the procession. Once inside, Zade was rushed off to the infirmary and the soldiers escorted Ziri to a chamber.

* * *

Rou sat in the middle of the land, his mind focused on everything around him as the sun crept lower to the horizon. This place was special, a wooded spit of land at the joining of the oceans. Jun was nearby with Shirshu, and he felt her mixed spirit acutely. 

He didn't know what or who he was, only that he could be used as great gift or a terrible curse. Tonight he had a question to ask Kanna, the Kuro Ki-Lin. Tonight, he would learn.

* * *

Once they were inside the war-chamber, Ziri was actually unchained and then the soldiers left. 

"What the hell?" Ziri inquired to the empty room as he rubbed his sore wrists.

"Such language Prince Zuko."

Ziri rolled his eyes at the man, his facial features hidden by the darkness of the room, his form highlighted by the flames behind him.

"Look, I don't care what anyone has told you, I'm not Prince Zuko. My name is Ziri, I grew up…"

The man chuckled darkly. "I've heard of your story, but I'm confident that General Zade would not have brought you this far if he wasn't completely certain that you are Zuko."

Ziri's head snapped up. He hadn't yet heard anyone speak of this prince with the honorary title in front of his name.

"And why wouldn't he? Obviously this prince means a lot to you people, and so why wouldn't he want to bring him back and get all the so-called honor and glory?"

"Why would anyone want to bring a banished prince back to his former nation?"

Ziri stepped back in shock. "Banished! Then why the hell did he bring me here!"

The man smirked. He couldn't see it, but he could feel it.

"Because I am tired of you shaming me, Zuko."

The man stepped into the light and Ziri uttered a small scream, unconsciously stepping back several times.

"You're the Fire Lord!"

Ozai smiled, not a very pleasant thing to behold.

"You didn't recognize me Zuko? I am your father after all."

Ziri was in a state of shock. He backed up until he hit the wall, all the fight fled from him, pure fear and panic flooding through him.

_The Fire Lord! No, I can't deal with this! He's the most powerful man in the world, the strongest, he can kill me, he's going to, see the look in his eye, I don't know what to do, don't know…_

* * *

Zuko glanced up from his meditation, feeling the panic flooding from the face that haunted his dreams. _**

* * *

Get a hold on yourself! **_

Ziri froze, staring down at the floor, begging the Fire Lord to look somewhere else. He could feel the man's gaze tearing into him, and for some reason, his scar was pounding with an impenetrable fury.

_But he's…_

_**I know he may be strong, but he's just one man. **_

_I can't fight him! _

_**Who said you were going to? He's just talking for now. Find out why you are here. **_

"I've told you I'm not Prince Zuko, and you are not my father."

Ziri was relieved to hear the strength return to his voice. Ozai was now merely looking at him. His hands formed into fists and his body fell into an aggressive stance.

"What the hell do you want with me?" he shouted.

"There's the Zuko I know. You have grown strong in your absence."

Ziri stared at him.

"I'll give you a chance to redeem yourself. Agni Kai, at sunset."

_**What happened? What did he say?**_

_What the hell is an Agni Kai?_

…

_Hey, voice spirit thingy, what is an Agni Kai?_

**_…this is bad. _**

…_thanks. _


	20. To Find A Way In Darkness

**AN: Okay, now this chapter is WAY important and goes out to ****CelticGoddess1986****, who helped me figure out how to do something that you'll see later! **

**I DO NOT OWN: "(I Hate) Everything About You" by Three Days Grace or "Learn To Be Lonely" from Phantom of the Opera…or Avatar, don't own that either. **

**Ok, I thought I'd do this to help those reading this fic. Ages! **

**Aang—13**

**Katara—15**

**Zuko/Ziri – 17**

**Sokka—16/17**

**Shiroten—18**

**Haru—16**

**Kioko—11**

**Rou—looks 16, though he doesn't really act it…but then again, Agni doesn't either…**

**And I absolutely love that quote by Carlin. It's so awesome. It inspired one of my new characters. **

**Note: 'Glory' is the name for a group of unicorns. 'alicorn' is the name for their 'horn.' **

**Nii-San—older brother**

**Hiarashi – fire storm**

**Sensei--teacher**

**

* * *

**

WARNING: It's a long chapter, but I refused to cut any of it!

* * *

There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls. -George Carlin

"The greatness of his mind is such that he rather chooses to die than be taken alive; wherein the unicorn and the valiant-minded soldier are alike, which both contemn death, and rather than they will be compelled to undergo any base servitude or bondage they will lose their lives."

**

* * *

**

Chapter 20: To Find A Way In Darkness

As the sun began to set, the people of the Northern Water Tribe started to celebrate the retreating of the Fire Navy fleet, the last of which could still be seen on the fiery horizon. Aang and Katara ran to help them set up for the festivities of the night, and Sokka soon joined them. Zuko was nowhere to be found, but Katara wasn't really worried.

Of the time she'd spent with Zuko, she'd known him to be perfectly capable of taking care of himself as well as desiring to be alone for unknown and often extended periods of time. So when Aang inquired as to his whereabouts, she just shrugged. She missed Aang's happy grin that was much too out of place for the conversation.

A cry was raised up through the town and Aang grabbed her hand as they ran to see what the cause was. A strong tall woman with thick gray hair styled in the normal Water Tribe fashion and lines of experience around her eyes and mouth, but she didn't appear mean-spirited. Katara smiled, for she looked very familiar.

In fact, the woman stopped in front of Katara.

"You must be the girl my sister talked so much about."

"Your sister?"

"Aunt Wu is my sister."

Aang laughed. "Wow! That's so cool!"

Sokka frowned at the woman. "Are you going to make nonsense predictions as well?"

The woman smiled gently. "No, I only give advice. But when I do," she pointed her finger in a reprimanding way at Sokka. "You better listen."

Chief Arnook placed a hand on the woman's shoulder.

"Lady Umi is famous for her…er…cryptic messages."

"Thank you for putting it so delicately."

Arnook started to lead her away, but her eyes fell on Katara once more.

"Katara is it?"

"It is."

"Katara, I will wish to speak with you later tonight."

Katara nodded and Lady Umi swept away. In the roaring welcome she received, no one noticed the shadows flitting from house to house.

* * *

Zuko sat in the middle of the rock protruding from the cold tundra, his meditation pose mimicking that of Ziri hundreds of miles away in the Fire Nation palace. Ziri found it interesting that he was conversing with the very person people thought he was, and Zuko was simply interested in keeping him alive through this Agni Kai. 

_Don't you think it interesting that we both have identical scars?_

_**Would you shut up and listen to me?**_

…_**sure. **_

_**Thank you. Now, when you get out there, I want you to stick to your story. **_

_It's the truth. _

_**Exactly. If they see that you don't know how to fire-bend then they'll know you aren't me. Maybe they'll let you go. **_

_Maybe? _

_**Or they'll sell you into slavery. **_

_And which is better?_

_**Let's see, my father would kill you and you can escape from slavery. **_

_Right, slavery, so…what do I do if he still wants to fight?_

_**Get on your knees and beg?**_

_I thought that's what you did. _

_**Hey, I lived didn't I?**_

"Prince Zuko, it is time."

There was no respect in the servant's voice, but Ziri didn't care. Zuko would've attacked the poor boy, but Ziri was not Zuko. They both knew this.

_He's going to attack me anyway isn't he?_

_**Probably. **_

_Zuko?_

_**Yes?**_

_Come for me. _

_**I will. **_

_And when you get me out of this, I'm going to beat you for every scratch he gives me. _

_**Agreed. **_

They both fell silent as Ziri turned and followed the servant out to the Agni Kai arena, trying to ignore the pounding in his heart.

* * *

The small island that Rou had taken them to was called Awaseru, an ancient word meaning 'to join together.' Once every hundred years, the beasts that were now long forgotten would gather to remember the times when the world had only been theirs. 

The Gryphons especially felt a strong hatred towards the gods for interfering and had to be constantly reminded of their kinship to the immortal deities.

The Dragons and their relatives had long since allowed each individual of their race to choose their own fate, whether to be against the mortals or with them.

The Ki-Lin remained the only race unchanged by the emergence of the human race. Some even took human form to help this species doomed to die.

The sun began to set, and two beings could be seen at the edge of the cliffs overlooking the center clearing on Awaseru. One was clearly female, crouched low with one hand on the ground. The other was male and stood near her at an angle to the island, viewing the clearing over his shoulder with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

Both had hair as black as the night sea, though his was long and spiked around his head, and hers was waist-length and loosely hung around her. Both had eyes as blue and clear as the summer sky, their gazes both fixed on the boy clad in white in the center of the clearing.

Her eyes narrowed and she spoke in neither the common nor the ancient language. The tongue she spoke in no mortal man could hear and maintain his sanity.

"I believe the Shiroi Ryuu has returned."

He nodded.

"Perhaps he knows of the happenings in the human world, and of the birth of the Four."

He said nothing.

"Perhaps he will want knowledge of what he has forgotten."

He said nothing.

"That is no doubt why he has come to us."

The sun fell below the horizon, and the two figures disappeared into the darkness.

* * *

When Katara returned to her room before the festival began, she found Lady Umi waiting for her. 

"You are surprised."

"I wasn't expecting you here so soon."

Lady Umi stood and walked over to her, holding her fists out in front of her.

"I wanted to speak to you alone."

Katara found her gaze drawn to Umi's fists, and the seer's left fist opened to reveal a carefully carved and polished piece of diamond.

"Beautiful isn't it?"

Katara nodded. The crystal was simple perfect.

"Diamonds are one of the world's rarest jewels. People fight against the elements and against each other to obtain them from the dark coal they are born in."

Katara remembered Arnook's comment about her cryptic messages, and tried to think outside her words, trying to catch the hidden meaning. Umi continued.

"You have held a diamond in your arms child, and you know their value. You have fought to protect your diamond from others, but now you wonder if it's really what you have wanted."

"W…what are you talking about?"

Umi opened her right fist, revealing a pearl and when the light caught the jewel its obsidian surface danced.

"This is the rarest thing you can cherish, but it's often overlooked. People would never fight for it, its beauty hidden by its dark surface, and its creation was only through great pain, and it causes great pain. But it's worth so much more than this diamond in my other hand."

Katara looked up into the woman's gray eyes.

"You have held a black pearl as well, and you held it much tighter. You fought not to protect your pearl, but to save it from the abyss that other's wanted to banish it to. You cherish your black pearl much more than your diamond, because you can see the beauty of the pearl when the light hits it. You know it shouldn't be kept in the dark, and you brought it into the light. Your diamond doesn't need you anymore, but the pearl does. The pearl needs you because you saw it."

A blast of fireworks came from outside and Umi jumped, but Katara's gaze remained fixed on the two jewels. Umi finally looked at her again and smiled.

"Pick one, and choose correctly my child."

"Pick one? Which one?"

"The one your heart wants."

Katara expected that she would hesitate, but looking between the diamond and the pearl, she'd found the pearl already in her hand. She looked from the pearl she held to the diamond in Umi's hand, and as she watched, the diamond withered away into dust.

"The diamond isn't real. The pearl is."

"I chose correctly?"

"You chose the one your heart wants, and the heart is never wrong. Now go find your pearl."

Katara ran out, the pearl clutched to her chest, her heart guiding her as she ran, not noticing that the cries of laughter had turned to screams of fear. She ran…right into the waiting arms of a Fire Nation soldier.

Her pearl fell and shattered.

* * *

Rou glanced up as the sun set, and the first unicorn stepped into the clearing, He heard Jun gasp, and he could not turn his eyes away from the creature. Fire formed its mane and tail, dancing with life as its golden red eyes centered on the night sky. 

It walked into the clearing, tossing its head, ignoring the two humans and the shirshu completely until another unicorn stepped up. Azure tendrils of mist danced around her neck and the wind whipped through her mane and tail as she observed the fire unicorn and then stepped forward.

Jun could do nothing but watch as the two unicorns met in the middle of the clearing and touched their alicorns together. Fire met water, and she understood what Rou has said earlier. There was nothing gentle or kind about these creatures, fierce pride radiating from the two nearest her.

Now, as hundreds of them appeared, she saw that not all of them were white either. They ranged from the most radiant of chestnuts to the fieriest of golds, and she swore she even saw a lavender unicorn. They all acknowledged each other with a touch of alicorn to another. As the last ray of sun faded below the horizon, Jun did not notice, for the lights glowing from the alicorns of the Ki-Lin lit the clearing perfectly.

As the last ray of sun faded, the Ki-Lin turned to the two humans. One of the fire unicorns stepped forward, his teeth bared.

"_Humans?" _The two heard in their mind. _"What are humans doing here?"_

Another tossed his head. _"They shouldn't be here!"_

The fire unicorn glared at Rou, who glared back, and the fire of its mane and tail grew ferociously.

"_Calm yourself Hiarashi."_

The voice they heard now rang through their minds and sent a shiver through the rest of them. Jun stared in the same direction as they did, though Rou did not turn from the Ki-Lin named Hiarashi.

Standing at the point where the glory of unicorns had parted were two unicorns, one completely black save for her startlingly blue eyes and she was slightly smaller than the one beside her. The one that had spoken was black as well, but his black mane and tail were dancing with an unnatural five-colored light.

The words of the unicorns around her did nothing to quell the fear alighting in Jun's heart. She was beyond everything she knew, trapped in a world she could not even imagine.

"_It's him." _

"_He spoke…" _

"_He's here…" _

"_I don't believe it." _

"Rou…"

He didn't respond, instead he turned and faced the unicorn they were all backing away from, except for the young female at his side.

"_Hiarashi…"_

The fire Ki-Lin standing behind Rou trembled at being addressed directly.

"_Hiarashi, you are as reckless and unpredictable as your name. Have you so lost contact with your immortality that you cannot realize who he is?"_

The black male walked forward soundlessly, a fierce and untouchable beauty surrounding him. The female walked soundlessly beside him. Jun saw that he was not only larger than the one beside him, but larger than them all, stronger apparently.

They stopped in front of Hiarashi and Rou, and the fire unicorn hung his head, alicorn nearly scraping the ground.

"_Forgive me, Haku-sama, I spoke out of place." _

Hiarashi disappeared back into the crowd, and Haku turned his sapphire gaze on Rou.

"Haku…why is that name familiar to me?" Rou said under his breath.

"_Shiroi Ryuu…" _

Rou's head snapped up. "I came in lieu of an old law that…"

"_You wish for the knowledge of your past, the knowledge that your humanity keeps from you." _

"…how?"

"_I know you, Shiroi Ryuu, and have known you since the beginning of us both. I knew you when you decided to take your current form and I was the one who sealed your true form, your true memories." _

Jun didn't want to move, but she still stepped haltingly to his side.

"Rou?"

The female unicorn stopped her, and pushed her back a few feet. She froze, unable to move.

"Stay back Jun. Please, for me."

She looked up to find Rou looking at her, sadness in his eyes, and a hint of the child she knew.

"Rou."

He grinned. "I just want to learn. Haku won't hurt me."

He turned back to the black unicorn. "Will you?"

"_Dance with us." _

Rou nodded. Hiarashi let out a low growl mimicked by those around him.

"_Should we really allow him among us Haku-sama? Remember what the other humans did to us?" _

"_I have not forgotten." _

Haku turned one eye on the fire Ki-Lin, and Hiarashi took a frightened step back, warned by the intensity in the azure eyes.

"_This boy is not one of them." _

"_Nii-san," _

Every eye turned to the young female who stood before Jun.

"_Yes Kanna?" _Haku inquired.

"_What about this human?" _she said, nudging Jun with her nose.

Jun began to tremble as Haku tilted his head and viewed her through one eye. Now she understood why Hiarashi had stepped back. There was a subtle and repressed anger in his eyes, the same anger that she'd seen in Rou's eyes before he killed all those men.

"_Do you have a wish human?" _

Jun didn't know what to say before a thousand things popped into her head, but even as the ideas formed she cast them aside.

"I…"

Haku was going to think she was foolish. The only person he'd looked at straight since entering was Rou anyway, and she was personally grateful he hadn't fully looked at her. She glanced away from the eye watching her, and saw the full moon was speared by his alicorn.

"I…I don't…I don't know what I wish."

He turned his head to look at her fully and she flinched, fearing his chastisement now.

"_Few do." _

Jun let out a long breath.

"_You can let go now. I'm not going to hurt you." _

Jun gasped and looked down to see her hand clenching the handle of her whip. She stared at the weapon as if she'd never seen it before. Slowly, she pried her hand away from it and when she looked up she gasped. Haku stood directly in front of her.

He placed the tip of his alicorn just above the valley between her breasts and then looked at her as if asking permission. She heard Shirshu give a warning cry but she had no idea what the Ki-Lin was asking. She glanced at Rou, who nodded. She in turn met Haku's gaze and then nodded.

He gazed at her for a moment before quickly thrusting his head forward. The tip of his alicorn was much sharper than she thought and she gave a short cry as it pierced through her thick clothing and about an inch into her flesh. The pain was short and sharp and she fell to her knees when he stepped back, removing his alicorn from her chest.

She didn't notice when Haku did this to Rou as well, didn't notice that Rou didn't cry out or fall to his knees as she did, but slowly she felt a presence like a white light flowing through her veins, and lost conscious thought.

* * *

Makani stepped out into the rooms of Sei, the home of Alem, before he had disappeared after the Sealing of Eimin. 

"Kaia? Shasa? Am I the only one in the Spirit World?"

"No."

She turned around and saw Nen dressed in a black cloak, her face downcast. This was a far different goddess than the one she'd seen demand that they banish Agni to the Spirit World. When Nen raised her head, Makani saw tears streaming down her face.

"Nen, what's wrong?"

A broken sob escaped the Water Goddess.

"I'm sorry Makani…so sorry…"

Makani ran to the girl and shook her. "Nen, look at me!"

Nen sobbed and shook her head, her face falling. Makani followed her gaze and then saw the black chains binding the Water Goddess.

"Run Makani! RUN!"

Makani turned to do so but ran into the last person she expected who grabbed her wrists.

"Yes Makani," Eimin hissed. "Run."

* * *

Darkness flowed over the land, people said farewell to their neighbors and comrades, completely unaware of the true darkness that awaited them just outside their village. 

Haru turned to view the horizon, unable to quench the bad feeling in his heart. His father, Tyro, stopped and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Haru, what is it?"

Haru stared out for a moment more. "I'm not sure. You go on ahead, I'll meet you."

Tyro nodded and headed back to their house, glancing once over his shoulder at his son as he walked away, knowing that nothing could hurt him while he remained in the village.

Haru turned slightly and saw the Water Tribe woman step up beside him.

"You are a brave soul staying out here tonight, alone."

He smiled. "You should be inside resting."

"I am restless tonight."

Suddenly, Shasa looked up. She looked past the houses, past the trees, past the hills until her gaze met the silver-rimmed black eyes of the man who hunted her.

"Haru,"

He glanced at her, and saw the fear in her eyes.

"Haru, run!"

He stepped back in surprise as she ran forward, desperate to get to the stream where she could defend herself. Haru thought of her, and of the life within her, and did not hesitate to spring after her.

* * *

Shiroten viewed the village below him and felt the Water Goddess rushing towards him. He abandoned his cloak with a flourish as his gaze centered on the village behind the goddess. 

"Ji-kan,"

The dragon growled lowly in his throat.

"These people need to disappear."

The dragon roared and leapt into the sky, swooping down on the unsuspecting village, spouting shadow fire from its twin maws. Shiroten ran forward to meet the goddess.

* * *

Shasa grabbed at the water, forming a water whip as the servant of Eimin came bounding into the clearing. Water met shadow repeatedly as they dueled. Her efforts to keep herself away from close combat failed effortlessly as he surged past her defenses into her personal space. 

The Water Goddess drew on what little she knew of the martial arts that she had learned from Agni, but still she could only block his advances and give ground. With a cry she shoved him back and he smirked.

"Even with your water, you are not strong."

She drew the water to her and let it hover in front of her, ready for use.

"If you think I'm weak, then why do you hesitate to attack me?" she shouted challengingly.

He growled and flew forward, orbs of shadow forming in his open palms.

Shasa formed an ice wall to block the orbs he threw at her, but wasn't prepared for the shadows that came from the sides and bound her ankles and wrists. She felt several orbs hit her ice wall and it shattered, but she was unable to move.

"Who are you?" she screamed as the man appeared again in her vision.

"You know who I am, Shiroten."

"And how someone so named could be so destructive I'll never know! But who are you to Eimin?"

Shiroten flinched and looked down, and Shasa gasped. Obviously she'd touched a soft spot for him and she wanted to take back her words, but his attention was diverted from her and her inquiry before she could stop his answer.

Shiroten spun around as a young earth-bender came barreling into the clearing and easily fell into a bending stance.

Shasa pulled against the shadows binding her as she saw Haru take a stance against Shiroten.

"Run Haru! You're not strong enough to fight him!"

"Let her go!"

Shiroten tilted his head. "You should listen to her boy."

Haru glared. "My name is Haru, and you will not harm her."

"Haru," Shiroten took a stance.

"This battle is already over."

* * *

Agni flew over the seas to the one he most cherished, to the one place he'd sworn he'd always return to, the island of Misu. 

Landing on the beach where he and Shasa had left Zuko and Katara, he found that the wind and the sea had wiped all traces of them from the beach, but Agni wasn't worried. He continued further inland.

He found the clearing where Zuko and Katara had lived for a while, and smiled, proud that they had worked together. He followed their trails to the cliffs and scaled them with ease.

It wasn't until he found the barrier between his and Shasa's world that he became worried. It didn't take Agni long to figure out what had happened, but now he had no idea where they were. Spreading his wings, Agni headed for the Fire Nation, and for Prince Iroh.

* * *

Azula and Jet reached their destination by nightfall, and both of their tempers needed only a spark to light them. Jet tried not to make a sound as his back cringed again, wrapping his arms around himself to bar against the chilling night wind. 

Azula was still in her armor but the tightly wrapped make-shift tourniquet of Jet's caused another twinge in her shoulder. She gritted her teeth and ignored the rebel walking beside her.

"So, Azula, you got a boyfriend now?"

Jet let out a low growl and Azula smiled at her two best friends.

"Oh girls, I could do so much better than this. I was just following his advice until I remember I'd already been to Omashu, excuse me, New Ozai."

Mei and Ty Lee smiled and Jet gave an inward groan.

"These are the reinforcements you were talking about?"

Azula nodded and Mei sighed in his direction.

"Don't underestimate us boy."

Jet rolled his eyes and looked to Azula. "Either we go inside or you give me my shirt back."

Neither one of them would mention that she would probably bleed to death without his shirt so Azula led the way into one of the main buildings.

After about an hour, Jet's back was bandaged again and the doctor was tending to Azula's wounds. The doctor smiled as he finished with the princess' shoulder.

"It was good of him to tie this off. Otherwise you would've lost too much blood and would've been incapacitated for days Your Highness."

Azula gritted her teeth, unwilling to accept that she was endowed to the boy once again. She walked out of the healer's hut and found her friends a little ways away. Jet was not with them.

"Where's Jet?"

"Who?" Ty Lee stated while Mei just looked at her.

"The boy."

Ty Lee laughed. "Oh him, he's cute."

"And bothersome." Mei added before pointing to a building. "He's in there."

Azula hesitated only slightly before heading in to find Jet. Why should she be afraid of speaking with him? But for some reason, she felt a sense of foreboding coming from the building. Pushing back the screen, she stepped in.

"Jet?"

There was no reply, but she saw him, standing by the window a few yards away.

"So, you've been to Omashu before."

"Yes."

"Then why did you follow my advice?"

She said nothing.

"They'll go to Tasha."

"Tasha? Why Tasha when they could go to Ba Sing Sei?"

"Because Ba Sing Sei is under constant attack from the Fire Nation; Aang…the Avatar…wouldn't risk it."

"And how do we know that Tasha hasn't been invaded?"

"We know that because we're in the middle of a Fire Nation encampment and we can find out. Also…"

That's when Azula noticed the look in his eyes.

"Also what?"

"Also, that's where I was born."

* * *

On the battlements of the Earth Kingdom city Yamaoku, two shadows took their place in silence. One set of golden eyes and one set of golden-green eyes peered through blood-red face paint to their target easily. 

Thought their true names were unknown to all but each other and two others, the green-eyed was known as Kumo or 'spider' and the golden-eyed one was known as Hebi, or 'serpent.'

They were the YuuYan Satsugai Ka, the YuuYan Assassination Division.

They exchanged no words as they prepared to carry out their mission as the General Fong took his place on the dais to address his soldiers.

The older of the two raised his pointer finger from where it held the bow, sending a silent signal to Kumo. Instead of doing the same, which would give the cue to carry out their mission, Kumo raised his pinky finger, implying that they should wait.

Hebi lowered his pointer, acquiescing command to Kumo. In this case, age did not dictate skills or experience. In this case, the better of the two was the younger, Kumo.

General Fong began to speak. After several more minutes of waiting, Hebi couldn't wait anymore. Risking revealing their position, he spoke.

"Kumo, do you have a clear shot?"

If he didn't, there was no use in doing this at all.

Kumo didn't respond immediately, but thought back to a time when someone else had asked him that same exact question.

* * *

"_Do you have a clear shot?"_

_In response, he closed one eye, the world around him fading to single out that one masked warrior that would come to be known as the Blue Spirit. _

"_Knock out the thief. I'll deliver him to the Fire Lord along with the Avatar." _

_He let his arrow fly to hit the mask of the Blue Spirit, knocking him unconscious. Then he watched as the Avatar and the Blue Spirit performed another miraculous escape. He definitely fought to keep a straight face as Commander Zhao, Colonel Shainu, and his sensei, Master Yagara, watched a frog leap over the walls, incredulous looks on their faces. _

_Then he decided to add insult to injury by walking away without permission from Commander Zhao. The man looked like a monkey anyway. _

* * *

"Yes, Hebi, I have a clear shot. Take your position." 

Hebi drew his arrow again, taking careful aim at their target.

* * *

"_I'll pay you 200 gold pieces to teach General Fong a lesson, like he taught my father!"_

"_Make it 300 and we'll do it brat." _

"_Done!" _

* * *

Cheers erupted as Fong finished his speech and raised his hands in appreciation of the applause. 

Kumo smirked as he acknowledged Hebi's signal of readiness with his own. Hebi's arrow flew.

_Here's exactly what we think of your speech. _

The arrow flew down through the crowds and hit the edge of the general's bowl of miso and sent it flying into the general's face and down his front. Kumo stifled his laughter long enough to send his arrow flying into the outraged general's backside.

And they were 300 gold pieces richer, Kumo thought as he and Hebi flew from the battlements to disappear into the woods while Fong tried to hide his beet red face and injured backside at the same time. Once they were a safe distance from the fortress, Kumo fell to his knees, let the mask of intense concentration fall, and burst into much suppressed laughter.

Soon, Hebi was laughing with him, two YuuYan archers laughing insanely with each other over the fate of the poor general.

* * *

Aang fought desperately, blocking fireballs and sending them back over the walls, trying to give the women and children time to get to safety. Katara was nowhere to be found and Zuko was still off being whatever. 

Sokka gripped his boomerang and tried to fend off a group of several fire-benders by himself. Suddenly, Katara fell into view a ways away, two Fire Nation soldiers frozen in the direction she was running from. He was shocked to see her fall to her knees, desperately trying to pick up the pieces of something.

He tried to run to her, but he was cut off by a new group of fire-benders.

Umi blocked a blow from hitting the Water Tribe girl and tried to drag her to her feet from picking up the shattered pieces of the pearl.

"It's just glass girl, don't kill yourself for it!"

She found herself blown back by a water whip.

"I have to save my pearl!"

Suddenly Katara froze; her mind in overdrive and her body miles behind it.

_Pearl…I have to save my pearl…_

And she ran, rushing through the snow, shedding her heavy parka as she ran, adrenaline warming her body.

"Katara!" Aang cried as she ran into his view.

Katara skidded to a stop as she heard her name being called. _Pearl?_

She turned and met the gaze of the young Avatar as he called her name again.

_No, diamond…diamond doesn't need me anymore…diamond is strong. _

Aang grabbed Katara's shoulders and shook her, trying to wipe away the determined glaze in her eyes that saw past him.

"Katara!"

"Stay here diamond."

Then she tore away from him and ran.

"Katara!" He cried desperately until she disappeared or until he had to fight off more soldiers. He didn't quite know which, and wondered why she had called him diamond.

_Pearl, my pearl needs me, I have to save my pearl!_

And she ran.

* * *

Zuko was running. He'd seen the smoke above the city and was flying back to help the people. After what he'd said that day, he really didn't know why, but he was going the same. Katara was there. At the same time, he was trying to instruct Ziri in basic Agni Kai etiquette. 

_Kneel._

Ziri nodded and took the traditional Agni Kai position, unable to stop from trembling, a wild feeling taking hold within him, the same feeling that had grabbed him when his father had appeared after escaping prison. It was blind panic and fear.

_Stop, don't let it overpower you. _

Ziri nodded again, unaware of the looks he was getting, nodding to himself. One of the servants standingat his side stepped forward.

"Good luck Prince Zuko."

The sparked a single flame of anger and immediately Ziri began to nurse it, the flame of anger biting away at the panic and fear.

"I'm not Prince Zuko."

"Then you'll need the luck."

Ziri watched as the servant stepped back and made himself take offense, feeding fuel to the flames of his anger, wallowing in it and drawing it to him.

The gong sounded and he stood at Zuko's instruction, keeping his hands at his side, completely ignorant of the ways. Ozai stood at the other end of the field, prepared for a fight. He stepped into the arena and so did Ozai.

"You're doing well this time Zuko."

Ziri smirked. "I'm not Prince Zuko."

The power of anger was flowing through him, keeping him alive and steady. With lightning fast reflexes, no doubt from Zuko's side of the enigma, he dodged a fireball and then several, always a step ahead.

Zuko ran through the snow, feeling his body swerve to the side, diving and dodging and he let it, adding momentum and trying to help his twin out as best he could. They were both in danger now.

* * *

Katara drew on the water around her, surrounded by Fire Nation troops, driven by one purpose. She saw one of them step out above the rest and this one motioned for the others to fall back. They did so, and formed ranks behind her. 

"Well, it seems Master Pakku is no longer here, so I guess we'll have to deal with you, since you seem to be the strongest bender here, next to the Avatar of course."

"Get out of my way."

A chuckle ran through the soldiers, and the colonel attacked. She blocked most of his fire attacks but somehow he got close enough and hit her chi points. The water would no longer rise to her. With a backhanded slap, the colonel knocked her back several feet and she fell to the ground.

"Where's the savagery that passes for bending now?"

* * *

Zuko spun and stood stock still. _Katara._

Ziri stopped after dodging another series of fireballs and Ozai stood catching his breath.

_Who's Katara?_

_**I have to help her!**_

_All right, what should I do?_

_**Fight!**_

_Fight? But I thought…_

Ziri stopped, having just realized something. Really, in his heart, he wanted to fight the Fire Lord. The Fire Lord was responsible for San's death, for Midori's (for he had accepted that she was probably dead by now), and the entire war. All those people dying.

The flame of anger turned into a bonfire.

He was going to fight the Fire Lord.

* * *

Samir and Mamoru were walking through the woods when a scream alerted them to another's presence. They raced the birds through to a clearing where they perceived the last thing either one of them wanted to see. 

"Makani!" Samir shouted, seeing her true form, a crane, clutched in Eimin's claw.

The body of the beast before them was not complete, half covered in tattered scales and the other half merely a skeleton, blood and half-formed muscles hanging limply from the impossibly animated beast. Sick yellow poison dripped from the fangs of the beast below one red eye and one eyeless socket.

The God of Death was in his true form.

The birds ran screaming as the two gods released them and stood before the monstrosity.

"Release her Eimin." Mamoru commanded calmly since Samir looked like he was going to rip the throat of the beast out with his bare teeth for touching his wife.

Eimin laughed cruelly.

"Let go of her!" Samir screamed.

The consonants of his words were slurred, no doubt by the new mouth he used.

"As you wish."

Makani crashed to the ground and crumpled up in her human form beneath the vast creature that was Eimin.

"Since you, Samir, are the one I want."

Samir growled once and took his true form of an eagle. Mamoru beside him took the shape of a wolf.

Samir leapt into the sky and flew forward to meet the downward lunge of the monster's jaws; barely able to draw the creature's attention away from what Mamoru was doing. But they didn't have a simple-minded beast on their hands, quite the contrary. Eimin was a demon in his human form, but in his true form he was ten thousand times more cunning, more vicious, and more deadly.

Samir escaped the first encounter with nothing more than a scraped wing. Blood flowed from the wound and Eimin leered up at him as he flew just out of his reach. Perhaps he hadn't noticed yet what was going on beneath him or perhaps he just didn't care. He had said that Samir was the one he wanted.

"Samir!"

He heard Makani scream for him but he was completely focused on dodging Eimin's next attack. Eimin picked up the fallen crane just as Mamoru reached her.

"Not that easy my fine friends."

Mamoru gave a fearsome growl and Samir cried out his warning but the monstrous being before them didn't care. He was forcing them to their true forms, the only forms in which they couldn't be killed, but why?

The gaze of the Earth God and of the Air God met and they nodded, willing to sacrifice it all just to save Makani. Such was the love the Samir had for her, though he'd never had the strength or resolve to tell her so. Mamoru leapt for the arm that held Makani just as Samir dove within reach of the beast's fangs.

Eimin lunged for the falling eagle and as he drew close enough to see the triumph in Samir's eyes; his mind was blinded by sudden and excruciating pain. He looked down and saw Mamoru's wolf form bound to the edge of the clearing with his left arm in its mouth, Makani pushing her way out of the lifeless claws.

But this was no time to mourn for his lost arm as Eimin swung his deadly head around again and caught Samir in his poisonous fangs.

Makani screamed when she saw it and Mamoru watched in horror as the true form of Eimin swung the eagle back and forth rapidly like a dog with its prey then released him to let Samir fly and crash into the sheer wall of a cliff. Sliding down, he fell from dizzying heights into the trees below.

Makani transformed and tried to fly to Samir when Eimin caught her in his claws once more.

"Better to catch you again now than later. It does not matter much."

Mamoru turned. "Makani!" he yipped.

"Go!" She shouted. "Go to Samir!"

Eimin stretched his bony wings. "Yes, go to him, though there is not much you can do for him now. He is mine."

Mamoru decided not to contemplate all the meanings of that statement and ran off into the woods to find Samir. But what he found was less than encouraging.

The great eagle of the Wind had been turned to stone.

* * *

"Stop!" 

Both men turned to face the goddess Shasa, Shiroten's eyes narrowed and Haru's wide with fear. Shasa felt tears spring to her eyes as she looked into his confused green eyes.

"My lady?"

Shiroten turned completely from Haru to face her.

"Yes, goddess Shasa, what do you have to say?"

Haru's eyes widened even more as her identity was revealed to him. Tears fell freely down her face as she met Shiroten's cold gaze.

"If…if I go with you, will you leave Haru, these people, and this village alone?"

He viewed her a moment before nodding once. She sighed.

"Then I'll go."

Shiroten gave a short whistle that resounded over the village and soon Ji-Kan had joined them once more. He released the shadows binding her and without hesitation she walked to stand beside him and then to climb into the saddle on Ji-Kan's back.

The twin-headed dragon hissed at having her on his back but when Shiroten mounted behind her, it quieted. Shasa shivered once, feeling that she had sealed her fate.

Haru ran forward, his body already beginning to call the earth.

"Don't sacrifice yourself! The people need you goddess!"

Shasa flinched and instinctively clutched at the arm Shiroten had wrapped around her waist, causing him to look at her, confusion in his eyes.

"Go," she said to him, and Ji-Kan flew.

Shiroten tried to ignore the goddess' ragged sobs.

* * *

Jun snapped from her waking dream with several things on her mind. A few were the simple throbbing pain in her chest, that Rou was now using her stomach as a pillow and sleep-talking in his own language, hugging her like a teddy bear, that the unicorns were gone, and that there was who appeared to be a 20 year-old man watching her. 

She sat up partially so as not to wake Rou and looked at this man, and he looked back at her. He was sitting against a tree, cross-legged, wearing a fish net shirt and tight black pants under a long black cloak and was barefoot. His hair was black, long, and spiked and his eyes were impossibly blue, a black crystal embedded in his forehead.

That's when she knew who he was.

"Haku-sama," she started but he held up a hand to stop her.

"I was waiting for you to wake. Kanna and I will be leaving soon, but I leave you with a new task. You are the guardian of the Shiroi Ryuu, the boy that now sleeps beside you. This task was appointed you at birth. Guard him well wherever he may go...Asiera."

He then rose and left her speechless as he disappeared into the woods.

* * *

Ziri barely dodged a fire blast from the Fire Lord but Ozai had anticipated his movement and the black mark on the wall was mere inches from where Ziri actually was. Ziri smirked at the mark and then back at Ozai. 

"Are you _trying_ to miss me or is your aim really that bad?"

There was complete silence in the arena as everyone watched Ozai for his reaction, a vein pulsing in the Fire Lord's forehead before he threw a succession of fire blasts at Ziri, one which did catch Ziri on the shoulder but he gave no sign of pain, pausing in a crouch a few feet away from the angry Fire Lord.

"At this rate, maybe I should be Fire Lord."

"Are you saying that you, a traitor and liar, would make a better Fire Lord than I, Prince Zuko?"

Ziri sighed and rolled his eyes. "No, that's not what I'm saying at all."

There was an audible sigh of relief around the stadium.

Ziri grinned. "What I'm saying is that a Fire Nation peasant adopted into the Water Tribe with no political or weaponry knowledge would make a better Fire Lord than you!"

"Fight me you disrespectful brat!"

"I told you, I don't know how to fire-bend!"

Ozai motioned to the soldier behind Ziri, who walked up and handed the boy a two-headed spear, which he looked at with a brief moment of confusion and then resolve. Ozai reached into the waist of his pants and pulled out the Qiäng, the Spear of One Thousand Flames. The kanji on it that declared that it belonged to the Son of Agni he ignored.

The points of the spear burst from the scepter and he widened his stance, preparing to attack.

Ziri was no longer paying attention to the Fire Lord or feeling the smooth metal spear in his hands. His eyes were only for the Qiäng, for he had the strange feeling that he had seen it somewhere before, and he knew without a doubt in his heart that it did not belong to the man now holding it.

* * *

Zuko ran towards the Northern Water Tribe, already feeling the fire-benders that had stormed the city. He saw Katara at the feet of a colonel who was smirking and felt a harsh presence burst into existence from far within him.

* * *

Trembling, Ziri felt a presence rise up within him, far beyond that he had ever felt before. 

Zuko was forced to his knees as he felt Ziri struggling to remain upright, and he watched as small red lines formed on his wrists as if they were trying to form kanji but couldn't quite make it. There was also a burning on his forehead and back.

Ziri watched silver lines draw themselves on his wrists and felt the same burning on his forehead and back, felt the presence grow stronger.

A single proverb that Uncle Iroh had said once came to Zuko as the lines flowed through his blood to form a blood-red gleam around his eyes.

"_You will only find your true strength when you fight for something you love." _

He flew forward.

* * *

"That does not belong to you." 

Ziri was staring at the ground and Ozai could not see his face, but he could see the boy tighten his grip on the spear.

_This is not Zuko. This is not my son. _

Ziri raised his head, and Ozai gritted his teeth, observing the change that had come over the boy. Silver lines ran around the boy's wrists and a partial kanji had appeared in the middle of his forehead. A silver glow had encircled the boy's eyes as well.

"It belongs to the Son of Agni."

_How the hell does he know?_

"I am Agni incarnate; I may use it if I wish."

Ozai could see the four colors of the elements in the lines that had once appeared silver. The lines were now actually infiltrating his eyes, giving him an incredibly feral look.

"Then use it."

Ziri lunged forward, the spear at his side. Ozai could barely block the attacks that came in a flurry from every side.

* * *

Katara saw the attack but could barely do anything about it, barely able to move at all as she was brought screaming back to reality. 

Aang was screaming and trying to claw his way through the soldiers to reach her but he'd never make it in time.

The flames flew from the colonel's fists as Katara, but they never reached their goal. Halfway there, the fire blast stopped and dissipated.

Zuko planted a foot on either side of her hips, standing with his eyes solely fixed on the colonel. The makings of a blizzard were appearing, the wind tearing through his hair which now fell just below his ears and caused the black outfit he wore to tear loose of its bindings and whip around him.

Katara would never have imagined it before but Umi's message was clear before her.

Aang, the exuberant young Avatar that the world sought, not only the Fire Nation, but everyone wanted his protection, his strength.

Zuko, the banished Fire Prince the not even his own father wanted, and no one wanted to see past the surface to the good heart within.

Diamond.

Pearl.

_Is it possible…I don't…I can't…no…love…Zuko?_

Zuko stood silently viewing the colonel as they all fell into bending stances. Aang stood, unable to move, unable to absorb the fact that Zuko was able to protect Katara when he couldn't. Zuko frowned, his mind lost in contemplation.

"_You will only find your true strength when you fight for something you love." _

_Is it possible…I don't…I can't…no…love…Katara?_

The colonel grinned. Zuko was reminded of every military official that had tried to make him believe he was inferior to them all.

_Every time we lie awake_

Chuckling, the colonel took a stance.

"This is the part where you say 'touch her and you die.'"

_After every hit we take_

There was no emotion in Zuko's face or voice when he spoke.

"No."

"Oh, so you don't care if I touch her?"

Zuko extended each arm out over the earth, hands hooked into claws, palms downward, and anger in his very stance.

"You already touched her, now you die."

_Every feeling that I get_

He turned his palms to face the sky, and the earth began to tremble. Trembling turned to rumbling, and then cracks appeared in a circle just in front of the fire-benders, cutting them off from Zuko and Katara.

_But I haven't missed you yet_

Suddenly, molten rock shot up from the cracks and Katara screamed, expecting the searing liquid to fall down on them all at any moment, but Zuko had it all well in his grasp. The rock that had burst in to the sky fell back at a controlled pace and began to spin in an perpetual ring around the fire-benders, drawing ever in and forcing them closer to the crack in the earth before them.

The fire-benders only had two choices: be burned alive by the lava or leap into the crevice in front of them.

_

* * *

_

Every roommate kept awake

Ozai blocked another blow from Ziri, but the boy's eyes weren't on the spears, but locked on Ozai's golden eyes, a low growl emanating from his throat.

_By every sigh and scream we make_

Ziri stared at the bastard, for the first time in his life wishing the fire would come, truly begging for it. He hated his fire, hated it furiously, but he loved the fierce pride and fearlessness it brought with it.

_All the feelings that I get_

He spun the spear, sending Ozai back a few feet. Ozai came back at him, their blows numerous in the few moments before they pushed away again.

_But I still don't miss you yet_

* * *

He hated her, hated her for her vulnerability, hated her for her element, hated her for her power, hated her because she was right, and hated her because she made him see. He simply hated everything about her. But then again… 

_Only when I stop to think about it…_

The fire-benders around them fell, some into the crevice and some taken by the lava, and Zuko spurred the molten rock onwards, forming searing arrows that flew through the city, spearing the raiders easily and somehow bypassing the Water Tribe warriors.

_I…hate…_

Ziri sent the spear flying back at Ozai, trying his best to disarm the bastard, and feeling the heat of his fire slowly beginning to burn within him.

_Everything about you_

Katara tried to push herself up as she heard Aang scream for her but Zuko wouldn't allow her up. Later, she would swear she heard him whisper.

_Why do I love you?_

She hated him. She hated him for his strength, for his element, for his attitude, hated him because he was right, because he made her see. She simply hated everything about him.

_I…hate…_

After a moment she managed to push him back and away.

"I can fight too Zuko."

"I know."

_Everything about you._

"I hate everything about you." It was out before she could say anything and he looked at her for a moment.

"I hate you too."

The rest was unspoken and neither one heard it.

_Why do I love you?_

Ozai and Ziri locked blades again, staring into each other's eyes with intense hatred. The soldiers were starting to realize that this was no longer an Agni Kai, but an attempt on the Fire Lord's life. Suddenly, an audible gasp ran through the crowds watching.

Ziri's spear had caught on fire.

_Every time we lie awake_

With one swift movement, Ozai disarmed Ziri but Ziri didn't back away from the Qiäng now pointed at his chest.

_After every hit we take_

Ozai drew back and then thrust the Qiäng forward for a killing blow but it never connected. Ziri bent and performed a perfect back flip to escape the fatal attack. As he flipped, Ziri's heel connected with Ozai's outstretched wrist, sending the Qiäng flying from his hand. Ozai delivered a strong fire-blast to Ziri's back as he flipped and sent the boy flying to the other side of the arena.

_Every feeling that I get_

Those watching kept their cries of poor sportsmanship quiet due to their Fire Lord being the perpetrator, and they feared his wrath, but silently, they began to pull for their prince.

Ziri fell to the ground and rolled a couple times, landing on his stomach, ignoring the wild pain in his back from the where the blast had hit him. The Qiäng clattered to the floor a few inches away from his outstretched hand.

_But I haven't missed you yet_

Ozai walked over calmly, feeling his anger justified, to retrieve the Qiäng from where it lay. But his anger resurfaced when Ziri reached out and wrapped his hand around the center of the Qiäng, the points of the spear retracting upon his touch.

_Only when I stop to think about it_

Somehow Ziri knew what to do; somehow it felt right when he wrapped his hand around the cool gold metal of the Qiäng. He didn't even feel afraid when he felt the metal heat up and fuel his inner fire, bringing the fire up from within him to every part of his body.

Ozai reached down to pick up the Qiäng, watching the boy out of the corner of his eye. The boy's eyes were half-lidded and filled with pain, no doubt from the blow he'd received, but his fist was wrapped around the spear. Ozai smirked. The boy wasn't even worth fighting now.

_His hand closed over the Qiäng._

It happened fast, almost too fast for Ozai to comprehend. One moment he'd been picking up the Qiäng, the next he'd felt the heat within it burst and send him flying across the arena.

_I…hate…_

Landing, Ozai sat up fast, staring back at Ziri. The boy had shoved himself to his feet, the Qiäng now fully drawn once more but now the once cold metal of the spear was blazing with white fire. The pure flames licked around Ziri's forearm as he held the Qiäng, but he was not burned.

_Everything about you…_

Something new was in Ziri's eyes as he stared at Ozai, but even now Ziri knew that the Qiäng did not belong to him. How he could use it he wasn't sure, but it seemed as if the Qiäng was letting him borrow its powers for a bit. It wasn't his, but it wasn't Ozai's, and Ziri was the favored of the two.

_Why do I love you?_

Ziri loved this power now flowing through him, even though he knew he was only the medium for the Qiäng's hatred. The white fire now blazed within him, scorching his blood with its heat.

As Ozai sprang to his feet, Ziri spun completely, whipping the Qiäng out, sending two white blades of fire that the Fire Lord barely dodged. They burst into the wall behind, leaving long scores in the previously perfect metal.

Ozai stared behind him and then at the incarnation before him, and knew that he was seeing the spirit of the Qiäng itself. He had to get the Qiäng away from that boy; that was the only thing in his mind now.

Ziri brought his arm up and back, hefting the spear easily and preparing the throw it.

Ozai saw the movement and decided to let the Qiäng lodge in his right shoulder so that he would get it away from that brat. He was not afraid of the pain nor the fire, but nothing could have prepared him for what happened.

Ziri threw the Qiäng with perfect precision, aiming for Ozai's heart. Ozai shifted as if to dodge but hesitated just long enough so the spear would hit his shoulder. But instead of lodging like he had planned, the long and ornately carved Qiäng blew through his shoulder, through bone and gristle, to embed itself three inches deep into the metal wall behind the.

Ozai fell to his knees, pain blinding through him and he glared at the boy, from whom both the white fire and the silver lines had faded. Now it seemed that Ziri was just going to collapse where he stood. Where the silver lines faded black lines were left, marring the once clear skin.

* * *

Zuko stared down at the broken fire-benders' bodies, his world breaking apart. A single tear threatened to fall until he wiped it away before it passed his lashes.

* * *

The Fire Lord said nothing as the guards arrested Ziri. They didn't care that it had started as an Agni Kai, but he had attempted to take the Fire Lord's life. Not even the Fire Lord himself got a say in that. 

Ziri's fate was as good as sealed.

* * *

Zuko stared at nothing, the power having long since faded from him. The Fire Nation raiders had all been killed, not leaving any chance for a repeat attack. He barely registered that all of this had been done by his own hand. 

_437_

That's how many fire-benders he'd killed since leaving Misu. Four hundred and thirty seven. He was not even fit to be Fire Prince now. Not fit to carry the royal blood. Katara was right beside him, Sokka was nearby and so was the Avatar, but for some reason, Zuko had never felt more alone.

They watched the sun rise and he wondered how Ziri was doing, since they'd closed the link around midnight. For a while he stared up at the fading stars. He didn't hear Aang, Katara, and Sokka begin saying their good-byes to the Northern Water Tribe. They were leaving for Tasha within minutes.

But right now, all he could think of was a song his mother had sang to him less than a week before she died.

_Child of the wilderness_

_Born into emptiness_

_Learn to be lonely_

_Learn to find a way in darkness_

_Who will be there for you?_

_Comfort and care for you?_

_Learn to be lonely_

_Learn to be your one companion_

_Never dreamed out in the world_

_There are arms to hold you_

_You've always known_

_Your heart was on its own_

_So laugh in your loneliness_

_Child of the wilderness_

_Learn to be lonely_

_Learn how to love life that is lived alone_

_Learn to be lonely_

_Life can be lived _

_Life can be loved alone_

She had never been more right and right now, he missed her more than ever.

"Zuko?"

He turned his head slightly so he could see Katara as she sat down beside him.

"Are you going to come with us?"

Then Hakoda and Sokka joined them. Zuko looked enviously at Sokka who had his father's arm around him.

"If you want to stay Prince Zuko, my men and I will be going back to the war within the month and we would appreciate your military expertise."

Zuko looked down. In his heart, he really didn't want to go with either of them. When he saw them, he felt even more distant, more alone, because no matter what they lost, they had each other, and they always would. But somehow, someway, in the future, he would lose them as he had lost everything else.

"I'll go."

Katara and Sokka smiled.

"That's great since I already packed all of your things. Yagoda even got you a crimson sleeping bag!"

Zuko smiled at this, but the smile never reached his eyes or his heart. He knew why he had decided to go. Yes, one day he would lose these three, but he would make the most of the time he had.

_Life can be lived Life can be loved alone_

It was true, but that didn't mean he wanted to. He looked back at the Northern Water Tribe almost wistfully and as Sokka and Katara had already climbed into the saddle of the giant bison and were waving him aboard, Zuko couldn't help but pause. Hakoda laid a hand on the former prince's shoulder.

The last morning star streaked across the sky, falling to earth in its endless light.

"A shooting star! Make a wish Prince Zuko." Hakoda said softly.

Even more softly, Zuko made his wish so that only Hakoda could hear.

"I wish I had a father like you."

Hakoda stared at him, mouth slightly parted in surprise, and then he smiled, just before embracing the prince.

Zuko tensed in shock, feeling the warrior's arms tighten around him. In his current fragile state of mind, that simple show of affection broke the prince's defenses.

In Hakoda's arms, Zuko's body sagged and he burst into ragged sobs, burying his face in the blue fur coat that Hakoda wore like a small child. They stayed like this for a few minutes and while they stood there, around them was complete silence.

Finally, Zuko stepped back and away and Hakoda let him go as the prince wiped his eyes, trying to salvage some of his shattered pride. Another warrior brought a small wrapped package and handed it to Zuko.

"A small thank-you from the Northern Water Tribe, for all you've done for us."

Zuko nodded, truly grateful but incapable of speech. He turned and climbed into the saddle, not bothering to wave to the Northern Water Tribe as Appa soared into the sky.

He'd said the last good-bye he'd ever say.

* * *

ZK 

ZJ

SY

AT

**Ok, I know this was a long chapter but I read through it fast and I hope the action makes up for it. I now need to know something. **

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How do you feel about implied homosexuality? ****

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If you do not respond to this, I will assume you do not care. ****

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There will be bloopers next chapter. **

**OnlyFIVE chapters leftuntil theARC 1 of PROPHESIED FINALE!**

**PLEASE REVIEW!**


	21. How You Made Me What I Am

**EG: OK, you need to know what Sealing is and I can't find a point in the story to explain it, so here's a basic overview. **

'**Sealing' is when a living being is trapped within a barrier created by the elemental spirits. The Seal prevents all passage of time for those within it and cannot be broken from within or by someone consumed by darkness. The Seal will remain as long as the one who created it lives. Often, if the being Sealed is truly potent, the Sealer will Seal themselves to prevent the Seal from being broken. **

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Name Meanings: **

**Sainan—disaster, calamity**

**Konton—chaos **

**Hakai—destruction**

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Fic Pimpage **

**Powerful Benders by F22 Raptor—This story is so good, it deserves so much more than it's getting! So stop by and be blown away!**

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"Blessed is the servant who loves his brother as much when he is sick and useless as when he is well and be of service to him. And blessed is he who loves his brother as well when he is afar off as when he is by his side, and who would say nothing behind his back he might not, in love, say before his face."

St Francis of Assisi

"A sibling may be the keeper of one's identity, the only person with the keys to one's unfettered, more fundamental self."

--Marian Sandmaier

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Chapter 21: How You Made Me What I Am

The morning found Jun squeezing her eyes shut in an effort to cut out the rising sun and sleep just a few minutes more. The last thing she remembered before dropping off to sleep again was hoisting Rou into the saddle and sending Shirshu off with them both curled up in the saddle.

She was connected to Rou, driven by an overwhelming urge to protect him that shadowed out everything she had known before, bonded to him in a way that she didn't even think Haku understood, though he had given her the task.

She remembered the suicidal pain she'd felt after Saeta had died, the pain that had sent her wandering the earth until she was captured by pirates. The pirate captain adopted her, saying she reminded him of his illegitimate daughter. He taught her to fight and to take care of herself, finally sending her off into the world with Shirshu.

Together with Shirshu, she had become an excellent bounty hunter for the simple fact that she was good at it. But still, nothing had helped to fill the tireless emptiness inside her.

Until Rou.

Now, it was time for her to stand, take up her new ways, and protect this child. He was a precious gift, and she thanked the gods for letting her enjoy his presence. She pushed herself up into a sitting position, and opened her eyes.

She saw nothing but darkness.

Her brow furrowed in contemplation, trying to figure out why she couldn't see. It was late in the morning and the sun was up. She couldn't be going blind, Agni, she was only 17!

Her hand flew up to her eyes and, just as the barely suppressed telltale laughter burst from beside her, her hand brushed the cloth tied around her head. In one smooth movement she tore the cloth off.

"Rou!"

The young prankster squeaked and ran off into the woods with Jun steps behind him. Shirshu glanced over as they passed then yawned and went back to sleep. Jun quickly caught up to her prey and tackled him to the ground, immediately beginning to tickle him. He laughed and twisted out of her reach where he stopped and looked at her, a grin from ear to ear.

She looked into his eyes lovingly and mussed his hair.

"Come on, Rou."

"Where are we going today?"

She pulled him to his feet and there was a small ripping sound. Jun smiled and Rou blushed.

"We're going to find you some new clothes."

* * *

A large, dark-red dragon flew through the sky almost lazily, but the golden eyes of his rider were alert, his hands tight around the reins. Releasing the reins with one hand and gathering them into the other, he adjusted the cloth over the lower half of his face, the cloth that protected his mouth and nose from the harsh wind of flying while at the same time drawing attention to his brilliantly golden eyes. 

The same wind had torn the hood back from his head a while back, and his long black hair danced freely, only held back from his face by a golden band over his forehead. Beneath the long black cloak, he was dressed in traditional Fire Nation armor.

Regaining the reins in both hands, he guided the dragon to land beside a large river. He observed the river for a moment, not bothering to lower the cloth over his face.

"Now, this might pose a problem for my army. Don't you think so, Sainan?"

The dragon turned an eye on him, but made no gesture either way. Without waiting for an answer, the rider folded his hands in front of his chest. One could now see that his nails had been sharpened to claws and painted black. On each nail, scratched into the black enamel, were five kanji, one for each of the five elements: fire, earth, water, air, spirit.

Two fingers, one from each hand, rose and pressed together above the folded hands, and upon closer observation, one could see that both bore the kanji of earth.

The ground began to shake, and from beneath the raging river rose up earth that formed a wide bridge. The water spilled over the land bridge, but was only knee-deep. The rider lowered his hands and opened his eyes, viewing his handiwork.

"That will make things a bit easier."

The dragon, Sainan, nodded his great head. From behind them, a gray wolf emerged from the woods at a run and then trotted up and pushed his head under the rider's hand, and he began rubbing the wolf's ears absent-mindedly.

The rider turned and easily mounted back into the dragon's saddle. The wolf trotted forward a few feet and howled. Just before Sainan took flight once more and just as the howl receded, the rider's gaze flicked south, as if he'd heard something. Both beasts turned to look upon their master as he just sat there, immobile. Then he sighed.

"Come now, Sainan, Konton. Let's go."

The dragon soared into the air with one flap of its wings and the wolf bounded across the bridge, following them on foot.

* * *

Miles behind them, a huge Fire Nation army marched through the Achlys Mountains on order to find and destroy any air-bender survivors they might encounter. The army was under the command of the youngest Fire Nation general…ever. Their leader was barely 19. 

Currently leading the army was a black wolf by the name of Hakai as the general was miles ahead, scouting out the landscape. Hakai perked his ears as a howl came back to him, and he processed how far and in what direction, so he knew how to alter his speed and course.

One of the commanders behind him found this situation embarrassing and stupid.

"We shouldn't be following a dog because our general is too stupid to lead us himself."

The captain he was speaking to flinched and the commander continued.

"I don't think that General Peris should even be in command. He's too young to be sent on such a mission and with such a force. Fire Lord Ozai should've put someone with more experience in charge. Peris is young and foolish!"

"Don't say such things!" the captain said desperately.

The commander turned an eye on him. "What?"

"If I may, General Peris is a great leader! Right now, he's scouting out the land so we make better time and he'll find the air-bender survivors so we can attack where it causes most damage."

The captain looked down. "He may be young, but he knows what he's doing."

The commander growled. "Peris is an idiot. And you should learn your place, Captain Ken Lo."

The captain sighed. "Yes, Commander Fah."

What neither of them noticed was Hakai walking in front of them with one ear turned back towards them.

* * *

Shasa woke easily as the sun rose over the horizon. Instantly, she was awake, shocked that she had even slept at all. Before her eyes was the black cloth covering her captor's arm, and he still had an arm wrapped around her, the reins of his mount in his other hand. 

Now that the sun had rose, Shasa noticed that his entire form was covered. She remembered how he had blocked the sun in their first battle, and then waited until the night to strike again. Did the light actually harm him?

She raised her head and looked around. The sun sparkled on the ocean waves that they flew over, the dragon gliding low enough that if she leapt from its back, the fall wouldn't kill her.

"A lovely morning, don't you think?"

Her captor didn't respond, and she looked up at him. He stared resolutely forward, and when she glanced back down, she didn't notice his eyes flick towards her.

"I don't care for mornings."

Shasa blinked in surprise before raising her head once more and sitting up.

"Why not?"

"The light is not good for me."

Shasa sighed as he reached around her and took the reins in both hands.

"Your name is Shiroten, right?"

He nodded.

"Do you know what it means?"

She took his silence as a 'no.'

"In the ancient language, it means 'white heaven.'"

There was a longer silence, and when she glanced up at him again, his eyes had darkened with anger. Shasa turned her head away, but she had no idea what was going on in his head.

"_In the ancient language, it means 'white heaven.'"_

"_And how someone so named can be so destructive I don't know!" _

"_You are my little piece of heaven."_

Shiroten was not angry with the goddess, but with himself. He still didn't see how he could've been so foolish, so trusting. How could he have thought he didn't have enough?

_

* * *

A young woman with dark brown hair and hands toughened by work in the soil carried a basket on one hip as she walked back towards her village and her one room hut. _

"_Mother!" _

_She turned to see her young son, now barely four years old, running to catch up with her. Hovering between his hands was a small cloud of sand. _

"_Look what I can do!" _

"_That's great, Shiroten." _

_He smiled and she brushed a hand through his tangled brown locks, his soft green eyes smiling at her. _

"_Do you think Grandpa will approve of me now?" _

_She gasped in surprise and then smiled sadly. "Perhaps." _

_He smiled and then let the sand drop, taking her hand in his own. _

"_We better get home before it gets dark." _

_She nodded and let him lead her back to their hut. _

_Later that night, he was sitting in their bed, the covers over his legs and his arms folded over his knees. She had finished brushing out her hair and was dressed in a light green yukata. _

"_Mother?" He said softly. _

"_Yes Shiroten?" _

"_Why doesn't Grandpa like me?" _

_She bit her lip and sat down on the bed in front of him. _

"_Because it is dishonorable not to know your father. But what he doesn't understand, my heaven, is that you are a child of a god. A god is your father, and doesn't need to be accepted by anyone. You are special." _

_He smiled and curled up under the blankets. After blowing out the candle, she lay down next to him. _

"_You are my little piece of heaven." _

_

* * *

Shiroten watched his sleeping mother for a few moments, a pack filled with food and basic supplies on his back. He tucked his crudely written note in her partially open hand. _

'_Mother, I have gone to find my father. I love you and I'll be back soon.'_

_He then left the village he'd called home for his entire life, not knowing he'd never return._

* * *

"_Hello Shiroten." _

_He stared at the man chained to the wall with wide eyes. _

"_How did you know my name?" _

"_Oh Shiroten, can you not guess? I am your father." _

_Shiroten gasped; his long journey at last over. Then his eyes narrowed. _

"_Why are you chained?" _

"_Because I am bad." _

"_Who did this?" _

"_People." _

_There was a moment of silence, which his father quickly filled. _

"_You can free me Shiroten." _

"_How?" _

"_Unlock the chains." _

"_I don't have a key." _

_Before his eyes, out of the shadows, a key was formed and Shiroten ran over to it. It was heavy, so heavy that he could not pick it up. He had to drag it across the floor to where the padlock had appeared in the chains. His father offered neither help nor words of praise while Shiroten hefted the large key onto his shoulder to press it into the lock. _

_It seemed that had been the easy part, for now Shiroten could not turn the key. The surface of the key was rough and tore at his fingers while another presence began tearing at his soul. He threw his whole weight behind pulling the key and as it turned, he screamed, feeling a piece of his soul being torn as his father burst through the chains. _

_He fell to the ground, exhausted. He held a torn hand up in front of his face and watched as his tan Earth Kingdom skin paled and red veins turned black. Brown hair darkened to black and soft green eyes turned to silver-rimmed shadows. _

_Before he gave into unconsciousness, he saw his father standing over him, a light trembling in his hand. _

_The light of his soul. _

* * *

Shiroten growled as Ji-Kan twitched his wings and they soared up and over the trees that appeared before them, the forest that hid the Water Tribe Temple. 

"Where are we going?" Shasa ventured to ask, but Shiroten did not respond.

After a few moments of flying over the forest, Ji-Kan floated down and the trees opened up beneath them. The hydra touched down in the center of the Temple courtyard, and many of the women ran screaming, except for one.

Water Sage Qing-Yuan stepped forward and bowed.

"Welcome, Lord Shiroten."

Shasa stared in shock at the woman but her attention was quickly diverted. There was a shuddering at the gate and then the huge oak gates were pushed back, the locks snapping beneath the angry strength.

Shiroten dismounted and pushed Ji's head away as the dragon sought his attention. The Water Sage watched the gates with a slight fear in her eyes, but Shiroten merely looked annoyed.

Finally the gates gave way and opened to admit Eimin, dressed in Fire Nation armor and a sweeping blood-red cloak, followed by Nen, dressed in blue with a black cloak, and she was supporting Makani as well as carrying a crudely wrapped package under one arm. Shasa quivered at the look in Eimin's eyes, for no one truly wanted to be in his sight when he was annoyed, let alone blatantly angry as he was now.

His gaze centered on Shiroten and then shifted to Shasa, then back to Shiroten and he sighed, closing his eyes.

"This calms me somewhat to know you succeeded."

Shiroten nodded. "You succeeded as well, from what I can see."

Shasa could tell from the strain in the voices of both that they were struggling to speak civilly to each other.

Eimin nodded, but now his voice held traces of anger. "Not without a price."

He pulled up the sleeve over his left arm, revealing a stump that ended halfway down his upper arm.

"Nen could not heal it. I have too much darkness in my soul."

In an instant, Shiroten was at his side, holding his hands out. "If I may…"

Eimin nodded and Shiroten took the stump in his hands, calmly observing the severity. A gesture to Nen brought her to his side, and she revealed that the package she carried was actually Eimin's severed arm. Shiroten watched the two pieces and the shadows that emanated from them both, and after a long observation, he nodded.

"I can heal this."

Eimin almost stared at him, but blood loss was beginning to affect him and so he allowed Shiroten to take his good arm and lead him into the Temple and Nen followed.

* * *

Qing-Yuan gathered Shasa and Makani to her. Shasa was unwilling to leave what she felt was the safety of the dragon, but from the look on Makani's face, she needed companionship and a friend. She slipped from Ji-Kan's back and placed an arm around Makani's shoulders while Qing-Yuan led the way into the temple. 

She said nothing to the goddesses; there was nothing to explain her behavior when clearly the rest of the temple was unaware of her allegiances to Eimin. Finally, Shasa had to ask.

Qing-Yuan paused, her hand holding the screen open to a room that she had already labeled for the goddesses, but there was no hesitation in her answer.

"I have served Eimin for as long as I can remember, goddess Shasa, and I don't believe that the reason I serve him is of your interest. I do want he tells me to, and nothing more."

Shasa guided Makani within the room and Qing-Yuan slid the screen closed behind them. There were three pallets in the room, a brazier for warmth, and a table filled with food and drink. There was even a cache of medical supplies.

Shasa helped Makani to lie down on one of the pallets and offered a sip of water from one of the available skins.

"Now, Makani, aijin, tell me what's wrong."

Makani gave a great sigh, her gray eyes filling with tears. "I'm sorry, Shasa."

"Makani…"

Makani burst into tears. "I'm sorry!"

"About what, aijin?"

"Agni…"

Shasa's heart stopped. "What about Agni?"

"I'm sorry…I sided against him…"

Shasa shook her head. "It's all right."

"He must be hurting…and you hurt because you love him so much…"

"It's all right because he got out, he returned to Aye."

Makani smiled. "That's good. He can help."

Shasa nodded and Makani continued, gripping her hand desperately.

"He killed him, he killed him Shasa!"

"Who?"

"Samir! Eimin killed Samir!"

Shasa stared at her in shock. "That's impossible…"

"I saw him fall. He's killing us, Shasa. Where is Alem now?"

Shasa closed her eyes and slipped away from Makani, her hand on her stomach, thinking of the life that grew within her. Her eyes drew up to watch through the sun through the window.

"Agni, Agni, my love, help us. Only you…"

With that, Shasa fainted.

* * *

Appa glided through the early morning air easily, most of his passengers asleep. Zuko was in the far back corner of the saddle in a partial sitting position, the young tigress, Mika, curled up next to him. His hand rested lightly over her, the other hand on the package from the Northern Water Tribe, which had turned out to be a new set of Dao broadswords with kanji engraved in the scabbard and decorated with flames. 

Katara rested nearer the front, Sokka across from Zuko. All except for Aang, who was at Appa's head, were asleep. Aang watched the ocean glide away beneath them. After a moment, he looked back at Zuko; the prince's chin nearly touching his chest as he slept peacefully. He looked almost strange now, with his hair so short and dressed in Water Tribe clothing.

The three of them looked so peaceful that Aang almost didn't want to wake them. Then Nakara and Momo took care of that for him. The young dragon, now the size of a large dog and the lemur raced about the saddle. As Momo dodged an attack, Nakara leapt for him, overshot and landed on Zuko's groin, waking him with a sharp burst of pain.

Zuko cursed loudly as he shoved Nakara off, which woke Katara up in time to catch the escaping dragon and pin her to the saddle. Sokka slept through the whole thing despite the fact that it was his dragon causing all the havoc. This was soon remedied as Zuko took off his boot and threw it at the sleeping teen.

"Argh!" Sokka yelled as he sat up, rubbing his forehead.

"Sokka! Train that dragon before I kill it!"

Sokka stared blearily at Zuko who was cupping the offended area and Katara who was still fighting the rambunctious Nakara. Momo was hiding in Aang's shirt.

Wearily, Sokka stood and took Nakara from Katara and instantly the dragon calmed down. Zuko, now recovered, sighed and lay down on his side, using Mika for a pillow as he tried to get back to sleep.

Aang smiled as he turned back to guiding Appa. Things seemed almost back to normal, and that was fine by him.

* * *

As the sun broke over the horizon, Haru ran back into the village and back into his home, grabbing a pack and throwing clothes and food into it. His mother and father came in after him. 

"Haru…"

He spun around. "I have to go after her! I can't let them take her, not now! She gave up her life to protect us and our village and now I won't let them harm her!"

Tyro looked at the determination in his young son's eyes, and then smiled.

"All right. Take the elk outside."

"But…"

"Go!" his mother cried.

Haru grabbed his pack and raced outside, leaping onto the back of the elk his father had spoken of, and then spurred the elk into a run in the direction he'd seen that man take the goddess Shasa.

* * *

Two figures flitted through the forest, yards above the ground, with delicate ease. Haku and Kanna had abandoned their long constricting cloaks, the unicorn blood in them longing for clothing that didn't restrain them. 

Like her brother, Kanna wore a black fishnet shirt only she wore hers over a black top that only covered what was necessary. She also wore black shorts, while he wore full pants, which were also like a second skin, revealing her long shapely legs defined by lean strong muscle. Both now wore light sandals with a strap that wound around their ankles.

Kanna had her hair up now in a simple bun with two long strands falling around her face. Haku still wore his spiked, though it seemed almost out of place. In fact, they both seemed almost out of place, like something you couldn't really put your finger on.

Haku glided to a stop, standing easily on the thin branch overlooking the Water Tribe Temple. His mind was in a whorl such as he had not been since the last Rising of Eimin. He had been young then and had been able to handle himself with ease, but now he was wiser than he was strong.

_This will be my final gift to you. _

Kanna stopped beside her brother and watched him for a moment, thrown off by the deep contemplative look on his face.

"Nii-san?"

Haku jumped, startled, before turning to smile at her, a smile he saved only for her. No one else had seen him smile since Alem had Sealed himself.

"Is everything all right Haku?"

He nodded. "Just thinking. This will take all of our precision."

She returned his nod and viewed the temple with the same calculating gaze.

"There is great evil here."

Haku nodded and they both leapt forward. At about the same time, a tall, cloaked figure made its way into the temple.

Haku and Kanna landed lightly inside the temple and Water Sage Qing-Yuan made her way over to them.

"Welcome to our humble abby. I am..."

"We wish to speak to the Great Lord, Sage." Haku stated simply.

"The Great Lord is not here." She said with barely a waver in her voice. "But he will return this evening if you wish to wait."

"He is here. I can feel him."

Now there was a waver in her voice. "I will escort you inside. It is not my decision if you see him."

This satisfied Haku and he gestured to Kanna to wait for him here in the courtyard. She nodded and disappeared back into the woods. Haku followed Qing-Yuan into the temple. She showed him to a room where there were several nuns studying scrolls.

"Wait here." And that was all she said.

Well, Haku wasn't one for waiting. As soon as his advanced hearing told him that Qing-Yuan was back outside the temple, he turned and left the room. No one stopped him. His senses led him to a room a few hallways away. Upon entrance, one woman dressed all in white with silver hair and gray eyes viewed him with fear and he instantly recognized the goddess Makani.

"Who are you?" She asked fearfully.

"My name is Haku, and I am one of the Ki-Lin."

She sighed and smiled. The Ki-Lin had long been an ally of the gods. She lay back down on her pallet and didn't stop him as he walked to the prone form of the goddess Shasa. He took her up in his arms and cradled her gently.

Slowly, her eyes opened and focused on his. "…Haku?"

He nodded and she clutched the fabric of his fishnet shirt in her hand.

"What are you doing here?"

"Helping. It will be all right now. Rest."

She nodded, and had soon fallen into a healing sleep. He carried her to one of the pallets and then left, seeking once again the one they called the Great Lord.

* * *

The soldiers found the place that General Peris had staked for them to make camp at easily, as the black wolf's partner had marked it with her presence. Soon the soldiers were unpacking tents and other supplies from the backs of the Komodo Rhinos and setting up camp. 

Hakai, the black wolf, trotted over to his partner and nudged her with his nose. She fell to the ground and licked the underside of his chin in submission. The formality over with and through nudges, yips, and barks, they spoke of their day. Hakai quickly told Konton what he wanted, and she told him their master would be returning soon.

General Peris' return to camp was marked by Sainan swooping down and settling on a small plateau in the hillside. Peris followed about a minute later, walking into the camp as silent as the woods around them.

Hakai and Konton leapt up from where they lay as soon as Peris appeared in the camp. Konton swirled around to stand behind him and Hakai nudged his head beneath Peris' hand and whined. There seemed to be some form of communication between the wolf and the man, and then Peris raised his head, absent-mindedly scratching Hakai's ears, and turned his attention to the army.

"Commander Fah, it would please me if you would come here."

Soon, Commander Fah had separated himself from the crowds of soldiers and bowed respectfully to his leader.

"You asked for me, General Peris?"

"Yes." Peris' gaze drifted down to Hakai. "Hakai tells me some interesting things that were said today. Apparently you don't believe I am fit to command this operation."

Fah paled significantly, and Peris hadn't even looked at him yet.

"Not only that, my dear commander, but you believe that our Fire Lord is incompetent for appointing me to this position."

Fah looked like he would collapse right there, and from the crowd, Captain Ken Lo had pushed his way to the front.

"My…My Lord, there is no circumstance in which I would speak so against my Fire Lord and his decisions."

Finally, Peris' gaze lifted from Hakai and centered on the commander before him. His hand left his pet's head and hung loosely at his side for a brief moment, Hakai beginning to growl, which drew attention from the fact that Peris now had a hand resting on the sheathed kodachi at his side.

"Not only disloyal, but a liar as well. This I cannot allow."

It happened in an instant. One moment Peris was standing lightly several feet away, the next he had rammed the kodachi through his commander's chest with both hands. In one smooth movement, he drew the kodachi out forcefully and let the commander fall to the ground, dead.

Peris knelt and wiped his blade clean on Fah's gray uniform and then straightened. Hakai had returned to Konton and they now rested side by side.

"Captain Ken Lo,"

Throughout the entire ordeal, Peris' voice had never held a trace of emotion and now Captain Ken Lo stepped forward, shaking as he bowed.

"Yes, General?"

"You are to take Fah's rank and men, until you die or I find someone better. Now, all of you, to your duties."

Captain Ken Lo, now Commander, bowed again and the other soldiers continued with their business, everyone ignoring the body of the former Commander Fah. No one even noticed when Peris climbed back into Sainan's saddle and together they winged south. Hakai and Konton followed them with their gazes until they passed out of sight, and then the two wolves went to sleep.

* * *

Shiroten tried to ignore his father's gaze, the scrutinizing eyes that believed without a doubt that he could not do this. Nen, however, was at his side, holding Eimin's severed arm close to the stump so that Shiroten could work. 

He had spoken earlier without the complete surety that he could heal this, but the theory that had formed in his mind seemed very plausible. Within his sight were the shadows of Eimin's soul. They had formed around the ends of each stump, tendrils crawling through the air and trying to reach each other through the air.

Eimin sighed. "How are you going to heal this is Nen couldn't?"

"It was your words that there was too much darkness in your soul for Nen to heal it. I am a shadow-bender. Guess."

Eimin drew in a sharp breath at the disrespect in his son's voice, but Shiroten was too tired all ready to care.

"Now shut up. This is going to take a while and I don't know if it will hurt or not."

Eimin did as he was told and Shiroten began the long delicate process of finding each miniscule thread of shadowed soul and reattaching it to its coordinating thread on the separated half. His hands rested poised over the separation, Eimin staying as still as he could, Nen carefully holding the severed arm. And so, the hours passed.

Shiroten fell into a trance of tracing through the shadows with his mind, finding on thread, finding the other, and then holding them together until they fused. Eimin tried to speak to him, and then Nen, but neither could pierce through. It was constant, continuing, a never ending circle of shadow and soul and forcing them to coexist and feeling through and…then there were no more.

To Nen and Eimin, there was a soft flash of dark light and then the arm had reattached. The color flowed back into the severed arm as the blood flow was restored and Eimin experimentally flexed his fingers and then arm, finding that it was as if the injury had never occurred.

Shiroten stared blankly forward, his body beyond exhausted. He swayed on his knees for a moment before collapsing into Nen's waiting arms. Eimin was already on his feet and there came a knock at the screen. Qing-Yuan entered with Eimin's permission and bowed.

"My Lord, there is a man waiting to see you."

"Who is it?"

"I am not sure, my Lord. He did not give me a name."

Eimin nodded and followed Qing-Yuan out, ignoring Nen and Shiroten.

Nen stared after him and then shook her head, turning her attentions to the young prince in her arms. A small amount of water from a nearby pitcher flowed through the air to her and around her hand, glowing after a moment with the power of healing. She pressed her hand to Shiroten's chest, and though the water did not take to heal him, the same problem as with Eimin, it did tell her what she needed to know. It told her that there was nothing physically wrong with Shiroten; he only needed rest.

The goddess called a few of the nuns to her and they carried Shiroten to his room, a room without windows, and lay him on the bed. Nen then, after making sure that there was no light seeping in, she carefully undressed him and pulled the covers up to his chest. As an afterthought, she placed a light kiss on his forehead.

"Sleep well, my prince."

* * *

Kanna had circled the temple three times now and upon reaching the gates again, decided that Haku had been gone too long. She flitted through the gate and into the temple, seeking her brother with an experience that came from many years of playing.

* * *

As soon as Eimin stepped out of the room, he no longer needed Qing-Yuan's guidance. He could feel a powerful presence in the temple, perhaps as powerful as himself. It guided him deeper into the temple and soon he found himself in the room where the nuns kept the written history of the world. There before him was who appeared to be a young man seated on the floor rather than at the provided table, reading a scroll. Eimin recognized him instantly. 

"Haku, the Eldest Ki-Lin of_ this _world and last of the Kuro Ki-Lin, what has brought you to my side of the darkness?"

Haku looked up and smirked. "Your titles are a little out-of-date Eimin, I am no longer the last Kuro. My sister, Kanna, has joined us. It appears you haven't yet caught up with this world."

Eimin's good mood vanished and he scowled. "The last I knew, you were allied with Alem and the other brats that you call deities."

Haku tilted his head. "Surely you don't think that Alem stayed here? He believed you were gone, and took an extended vacation."

Eimin gritted his teeth against this news. "You lie."

"That's impossible!" Haku laughed. "And you know it, Eimin. Your whole plan is ruined now, isn't it? Your plan for the ultimate revenge? Alem Sealed you beneath the earth for forever and a day, and now that you're free, you wanted to steal the souls of the gods and goddesses, each individually, and then destroy Alem with his own children!"

Now, Haku couldn't or wouldn't stop laughing, and Eimin found this more than frustrating. The bad thing was that Haku was as powerful if not more powerful than he was, and until he was at his full strength, he did not want to pick a fight with the Ki-Lin.

* * *

Kanna walked silently down the hallway until a sharp prick of instinct stopped her outside of a door. She tilted her head before pushed the screen aside and stepping in. The room was utterly dark and somehow she knew not to light one of the lanterns. Waiting until her eyes adjusted, she slid the screen shut behind her and then stepped forward. 

A few steps brought her to a bed and she traced the edge of it with her hand. Her movements brought her to the head of the bed and she blinked as the form of a sleeping teenage boy appeared in her sights. He had soft black hair that had fallen over his eyes, the sheets tangled slightly around him in sleep. She carefully brushed his hair out of his eyes so as not to wake him and smiled softly. After a moment, she turned and stepped out of the room to continue her search for Haku.

* * *

A young, brilliant red dragon flew through the skies above the Achlys Mountains, scouting for food and for possible dangers. Unlike the others, he had not wanted to leave the young mistress who had taken care of them, and it was for her he was now looking. 

"Down here, Kiro!"

Kiro tipped one wing and landed lightly by the stream where his young mistress, whom the other two-legs called Kioko, was waiting. She smiled and climbed up on his back, settling at the joint of his neck and back. With a small flourish, he launched himself into the air again, this time following Kioko's guidance.

But her smile was fake. Kiro could sense the turmoil and frustration in the young kit, and his head twisted around to nudge her gently, willing her to express the reasons why to him, but she pushed him away and smiled falsely again.

"We better get going. Daddy will be worried."

Kiro sighed, a sound like a quiet roar, and turned towards the gathering of two-legs that his mistress had called Hibari.

* * *

Nen slipped quietly into the room with the other two goddesses and quickly began tending to Makani, offering her a cordial of dream honey mixed with sassafras root, which had a calming effect as well as a mild sedative. Shasa watched her sister as she worked and finally sighed. 

"Why, Nen, why did you side with Eimin? And don't answer me as Qing-Yuan did, and say it's none of my business."

Nen sighed and sat back on her heels, her gaze on the floor. "I won't say that. It is your business; you deserve to know why I betrayed you and the others. It was for Katara."

Shasa stared in surprise. This perhaps was the last thing that she had expected, and Nen went on to explain.

"Katara came early, and I was miles away from the Southern Water Tribe. I gave birth to her in the frigid wilderness of the South Pole. A blizzard was coming, and I knew my baby was dying. I tried to keep her warm, but she was wet from the birth and I was exhausted. Then Eimin appeared with his proposal."

Shasa held her breath, not willing to push her sister into the confession, but Nen seemed to want to tell her.

"He said that he would give Katara life if I would take her place."

"You accepted."

"I had no choice!" Nen gasped desperately. "My baby girl would've died. And now, now I know her life is borrowed and I can never return lest Eimin decide to take back his end of the deal."

Shasa closed her eyes. "The…your people always believed you died in the Fire Nation raid that followed."

Silent tears cascaded down Nen's face and Shasa drew her close, relishing the moment in which she could finally hold her sister after long fear of her death. Nen regained her composure and continued her speech though her head did not rise from Shasa's shoulder.

"My only hope is Eimin's defeat, but I cannot even hope for that. You know better than any that my weakness is in the young children of this world. I stay now, not only for Katara, but in the hopes of saving another young child, my Lord Shiroten."

Now Shasa was openly shocked and Nen read this from the tension in her body.

"I know what you are thinking, but Shiroten has not always been as he is now. You must know that I was there when he and Zyperis were just children, and though Eimin never thought to see them as more than tools, I know his sons better than any."

"His _sons_?" Shasa was unable to prevent the outburst. Sons of Eimin, children of Death, how…

"Oh, Leaf and Star," Shasa whispered.

Nen pushed away to look her sister in the eye. "Neither of them are as bad as you think! Shiroten has been abused and his spirit broken. Eimin took his light when he was freed from the Seal, and Shiroten has had no choice but to follow in hopes of getting it back."

Shasa nodded, now understanding everything that had passed between her and Shiroten.

"And the other?"

Nen's whole demeanor changed and a look of confused frustration came over her.

"Er…Zyperis is…Zyperis…is…"

This continued for several minutes before Nen just shrugged.

"Zyperis is complicated. I've known him for nineteen years and if you placed him in a random situation, I would have no idea how he would react, and sometimes the ones who are unpredictable are the most dangerous."

Shasa nodded, secretly deciding that she would not wish to meet this Zyperis. Shiroten she could understand and learn what set him off and what would calm him, but if Nen could not yet understand Zyperis, she would not risk it.

She had to think of the baby.

* * *

There had been silence between the Ki-Lin and the God of Death for several minutes now, and Eimin was not inclined to break it, but he felt he had no choice. The Ki-Lin made him feel weak and disjointed, even when he knew he was older and should've been stronger. 

The difference was that he had been Sealed for thousands of years and Haku had been alive and free to advance and master his skills. Finally, after allowing the silence to stretch for a few more minutes, Eimin sighed.

"So…" he trailed off, uncertain.

"So," Haku repeated calmly. "I believe you need a new plan."

The first plan had taken him eons to come up with, having to first wait until the unbidden hatred and thoughts of blind revenge had calmed somewhat. Then he'd had to convince himself that it would take more than raw power to defeat his enemies. Now, this Ki-Lin was telling him that all of his careful thoughts, debates, and plans were worthless.

Eimin sank down into a nearby chair, resting one arm lazily on the table. For the first time, he was beginning to feel his age. Unnoticed by the god, Haku's eyes softened in empathy, knowing exactly how the god felt.

"Well," Eimin said softly. "What do you suggest?"

Haku rested his head on his hand and his eyes softened even more.

"I'd suggest that you take the path of your secondary plan, the one concerning the Fire Nation. If Alem does not rise soon then I am certain you will succeed."

"The Prophesied Four…"

"…will not matter."

_Spirit of the Four loosed upon us_

_Stand not in the path of the Light_

_Fear not if you fear at all_

_For all the Spirit's might_

Eimin digested this information for a while. He, unlike most, knew exactly what the Light of the Four could do. Haku knew this as well, and they were probably the only two, aside from Alem himself, who did know. In truth, it was really the Spirit of the Four who was truly to be feared.

With his sway in the Fire Nation, the Spirit could soon be taken care of.

It was after long deliberation that Eimin spoke again.

"Why are you telling me these things?"

Haku glanced down and Eimin smiled. "Furthermore, why are you betraying your sworn liege and friend?"

"He betrayed me first!" Haku snapped, his eyes flashing furiously and Eimin smirked victoriously.

"Besides," Haku stated gratingly. "This has nothing to do with Alem. I'm sure that should you rule this earth my people would be hard-pressed to continue the life they lead."

Eimin understood now. "If you join me, and help to assure my victory, I can vouch for the safety of your people in this new era."

Haku regarded him silently for a moment before nodding. "I will accept your words, but know that if you recall them, I will kill you."

That was the simple truth, and Eimin knew it. There would be nothing else between these two to bind them, only their words, and that was enough. Few still would bind themselves so completely on mere speech, but the two we speak of were two of the Eldest, and so still understood the mutual pacts like these.

Haku stood. "I will go now. I will return at first light."

Eimin nodded but did not bother to stand as Haku went out, but his mind was in a whirl. In one moment his back-up plan had become his primary plan. His well-placed pawns had become annoyingly spread out, and the key to his new plan was somewhere in the Achlys Mountains.

Well, Zyperis had never failed to show up when he was needed. He had no reason to believe he wouldn't now. So, Eimin decided to wait for a little while. He had never really been patient.

* * *

Shasa sighed, an inane curiosity taking over her. 

"Can you tell me more about them?"

Nen glanced up from the tea she was sipping. "Zyperis and Shiroten?"

"Specifically Shiroten. How did he become like this? There has to be more to it."

"Perhaps you'd like to know the whole story."

Shasa nodded, and together they went back years, specifically nine.

Nine years was a long time to anyone, and Nen sighed as she drifted back, drawing on the memories.

"I'll begin on that day, the last day…"

_

* * *

A group of four traveled down the beaten path without much attention for anything around them. A tall man with dark hair and even darker eyes led the group, followed by a lean almost frail looking woman with determination in her eyes, a young boy, Fire Nation from his looks with pale gold eyes, and another young boy with dark hair and pale skin brought up the rear. Both boys were about ten years old. _

_The golden-eyed boy was followed by two wolf pups, who played as much as they scouted the trail ahead. _

_The dark-haired boy was trying desperately to keep up with the others but suddenly an outcrop of rock caught his foot and sent him sprawling. _

_The other boy, the one with gold eyes, stopped and turned back. _

"_Are you tired already, Shiroten?" _

_Shiroten pushed himself up and wiped dirt from the corner of his mouth. _

"_No. I tripped." _

"_Clumsy idiot…" the elder muttered under his breath. _

"_Zyperis!" their father said sharply when he noticed the elder of the two had stopped. _

_Zyperis didn't act as if he had heard, merely watched as his brother regained his feet. For a moment their gaze met, Shiroten glaring and Zyperis observing, before Zyperis turned and continued on. _

_Shiroten ran the back of his fist over his mouth again, trying to eradicate the traces of dirt once more before hurrying to catch up. _

_The hours passed and soon Shiroten could barely put one foot in front of the other. No one seemed to notice this except Zyperis, because Eimin was studiously keeping Nen's attention and pointedly ignoring Shiroten. Zyperis knew that their father was trying to make the boy stronger, but he kept forgetting that his younger brother was only human, a human missing half his soul at that. _

_Still the hours passed, and there was no end in sight. Shiroten was practically sleeping as he walked. They'd been walking the entire day without stopping. The young child was going to collapse_

_Zyperis stopped, dropped his pack on the side of the road, sat down with his back against a tree, and closed his eyes. _

"_Zyperis," Eimin said warningly. _

"_I'm tired." Zyperis replied without emotion. Shiroten took advantage of the moment, collapsing face down on the ground beside Zyperis and he just lay there. _

_Eimin watched this and then returned his attention to his elder son. _

"_There is a town just beyond the next hill. We will stay there tonight." _

"_Shiroten and I will join you and Lady Nen once I have rested." _

_Zyperis cracked an eye, watching his father's reaction. He didn't appear to be angry as he should be, but Zyperis couldn't afford to leave any room for argument. After what seemed an age, Eimin nodded. He and Nen turned and continued on down the path towards the nameless town. _

_Shiroten just lay on the ground, not bothering to pick himself up and rest properly. His water skin was full and he was thirsty but lacked the strength to untie it, so he just lay prone. _

_Zyperis sat there with one eye cracked until his ears told him that Eimin and Nen were over the next rise. _

_Shiroten felt someone taking off his pack gently and carefully and then a small trickle of water flowed over his lips, reminding him of how dry his throat was. He eagerly latched onto the edge of the water-skin with his lips and drank, desperately sucking the water to him. _

"_That's enough." _

_Zyperis shouldered both packs and the water-skins and stood. Shiroten cracked his eyes open to see his brother extending his hand. He hesitated for only a moment before taking the proffered hand and Zyperis pulled him to his feet. _

_They had only walked a few feet when Eimin appeared before them. The only change of Zyperis' facial expression was a slight narrowing of the eyes. Shiroten, however; showed open surprise. _

"_Stay here, Shiroten. We will return at sunset." _

_Zyperis automatically lowered his pack and began to sit down again. _

"_No Zyperis. You will come with me." _

_Gold eyes met black, and neither one would back down. _

"_Go." _

_Zyperis turned but Shiroten waved his hand from where he sat on the ground by their packs. _

"_I'll be fine." _

_Zyperis showed no reaction to this turn of events but followed Eimin wordlessly into the town. Shiroten laid his head on the pack and went to sleep. _

_The hours passed and soon sunset was upon them. With their new supplies, Eimin gave Zyperis his pack and began to lead them out of town…on the opposite side of which Shiroten was waiting. Zyperis noticed this and without breaking stride, he inquired as to why. _

"_Are we not going back for Shiroten?" _

_Eimin didn't break stride either, caught up in the rivalry between him and his son. _

"_No. I do not care for him anymore and he is a burden." _

_Zyperis' eyes narrowed; his mind working. That night when they set up camp, he kept a careful eye on his father so as not to alert him to his plans. _

_Nen was carefully writing down the day's happenings. Zyperis watched her for a moment and wondered how Eimin had recruited her. She seemed to be trying to prove to herself that it wasn't a bad dream. He smiled. _

_Eimin looked up. "Where's Zyperis?" _

_Nen looked around. She could see his pack, but there was no sign of the boy anywhere. _

_Shiroten just happened to glance up and see Zyperis walking up the path towards him. He immediately sprang to his feet and gathered up his pack. Zyperis paused a few feet away and Shiroten grinned. _

_"Hey Zippy!" _

_Something passed over Zyperis' face and he sighed and muttered 'baka' under his breath. Shiroten hefted his pack. _

_"Well I'm rested and ready to go so let's..." _

_"You're not going." _

_"...get going and...what?" _

_"You're not going. Father says you are holding us back." _

_Shiroten stared blankly at his brother. "Zyperis..." _

_"He sent me to tell you to grow stronger and then come find us again. If you are stronger, then you won't hold us back anymore." _

_Zyperis then turned and began walking back towards the town. Shiroten slammed his fist down on a jutting rock in the path. Zyperis froze as the scent of blood filled the air. He spun around and stared at the blood dripping down the side of the rock from Shiroten's hand. _

_"Shiroten..." _

_"I swear to you, Zyperis, that I will become stronger."_

_Zyperis let the slightest smile creep onto his face as he turned and headed back. Shiroten watched until his brother faded into the darkness. _

* * *

Nen glanced up. "I think that's enough for tonight." 

Shasa stared at her. "You mean, Eimin just left him?"

Nen nodded, preoccupied by something outside. "Yes and Zyperis became less and less defiant until he began to follow Eimin's every word without question. But now, I feel that our world is about to reverse itself."

"What?"

Slowly, a broad smile found its way across Nen's face, the first true smile she'd shown since the birth of her baby girl. Shasa's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Nen, what is it?"

"I can't wait to see Zyperis' reaction when he realizes Shiroten is here."

"What?"

But Nen was up and in the hall in a moment, half walking/half running towards the front of the temple. Shasa was right behind her. Nen gathered up her skirts and ran happily, her braided hair flying out behind her. She slid to a stop in front of a large dark red dragon that nuzzled her in recognition. The dragon's rider slid down from the saddle and Shasa's first impression was that the being in front of her was simply perfect.

Dressed in Fire Nation colors from head to toe, his armor was spotless, not a tie out of place. The crimson cloak he wore fell in just the right way around him, his golden eyes captured the sun's purest glow, the color of his skin was not too pale yet not too dark, and his dark hair was the purest hue of black, pulled back in the traditional Fire Nation topknot with the excess hanging down to his shoulder blades.

Not a hair out of place.

Shasa even felt flawed as he turned towards the sisters, but Nen bowed, her smile still mimicking the sun.

"Lord Zyperis, I was expecting you."

He blinked, and the illusion of living marble was broken. "Oh, hello Nen."

She straightened and he stood, completely relaxed. "Perhaps one might wonder why I was expected."

Nen blinked and then laughed. "Oh, I just had a feeling. Just like Haku's news probably won't be good."

From behind them came voices.

"I told you to wait for me outside!"

"You were taking too long!"

From within the temple came Haku and Kanna, clearly having a heated discussion. Everyone paused, including them, as the sun broke through the clouds.

Zyperis bowed slightly to Haku. "Haku-sama,"

Haku blinked. "It is strange to see you being respectful to me, Zyperis."

Zyperis straightened, and Shasa was surprised to see little to no emotion on his face.

"It is not strange. I know when I am in the presence of one stronger than I am, and perhaps to show respect is something to be done."

Shasa didn't know how somebody could sound so bored, but Zyperis had achieved it. Now she understood how Nen didn't quite understand Zyperis. She would've expected the son of Eimin to be as ruthless, arrogant, and cold as he was, but Zyperis didn't think any of them merited any of his interest. She could almost see it in his eyes. He did what Eimin told him because a confrontation was too troublesome and he dealt with them because it was the best thing to do.

Haku tilted his head and viewed the child before him. Could this be the same apprentice he had encountered from the Old World? He sighed, and closed his eyes.

"Come Kanna. Let's go."

Kanna, who'd been staring at Zyperis open-mouthed, nodded and ran to catch up to her brother, who was already halfway across the courtyard. Zyperis followed their progress with his eyes until they vanished into the woods. Without returning his gaze to the goddesses, he sighed.

"I suspect that Father will wish to speak with me now." He sighed again and shrugged.

"Lord Zyperis," Nen calmly said to get his attention, which he gave lightly.

"Lord Shiroten is within."

Zyperis spun around, for the first time since arriving at the temple showing emotion. Surprised, the formal way of speaking that he chose vanished.

"Shiroten…is here?"

Nen nodded. "He's resting right now."

Shasa couldn't be sure, but some part of her was certain that Zyperis had smiled. An instant later, the calm collected and emotionless prince was back before them and he handed the reins of his dragon to Nen.

"It would please me if you would take care of him."

Nen took the reins and rubbed the dragon's snout. "I'd love to, my prince. Come now, Sainan."

The dragon calmly followed Nen as she led him outside the temple walls. Shasa started to follow her sister but stopped as she came alongside Zyperis. She felt frozen in place but it was merely Zyperis' gaze upon her. Blue eyes met golden and she almost fainted again. His gaze was so scrutinizing. Rather than looking at her, he looked through her. Instinctively, her hand went to her stomach, thinking of the child.

"You are Shasa, goddess of the Water and wife of Agni."

She blinked and nodded. Nen stopped and watched them over her shoulder.

Zyperis frowned. _It seems that he has succeeded in capturing the four goddesses, and yet he lets the strongest of them walk around freely. What purpose could this serve? _

His eyes flicked over her.

_And she carries a child. Too many innocent lives are at stake in this war. I do not care but…_

Zyperis turned and walked into the temple.

* * *

Aang was guiding Appa and scanning the land below for a good landing spot when the image of Avatar Roku appeared to him, hovering in mid-air. 

"Roku…" he whispered.

"Come with me, Aang. There is something you need to see."

Aang nodded, and to those in the saddle, his arrows began to glow. Zuko and Katara quickly got to their feet, rushing to the front.

"What's happening?"

"He's going into the Spirit World!" Katara supplied as Zuko caught the limp Avatar.

Zuko growled nearly inaudibly. "Great, just great, now who's going to fly this overgrown air-rhino?"

Katara grinned. "I think I can handle it. You just lay Aang on my sleeping bag."

Zuko complied and then sat by Katara on Appa's head. She grinned at him. "Look's like you're feeling better."

He blinked. "When wasn't I?"

"You looked really depressed when we left the Northern Water Tribe."

Zuko shrugged. "I was tired of staying in one place. I've always been a bit of a roamer. Don't get me wrong, home is great, but…"

She smiled, knowing where he was headed and what he was trying to hide. "You know, if everything that can go wrong does go wrong, you can always come live with us in the Southern Water Tribe."

Instantly, Zuko's potentially bad mood vanished and he laughed. "Thanks for the offer, but I've had enough of cold and wet for one lifetime."

Katara laughed and Zuko looked down over the passing waves; his smile vanished.

"Katara, take him lower."

She glanced at him and complied, her own smile disappearing at the tone of Zuko's voice. "What is it?"

"I'm not sure, just get out of this fog."

She nodded and just as they broke free, Zuko dove off of Appa's head into the water and disappeared. Sokka jumped up at Katara's cry and Appa landed in the waves.

"Zuko!"

_

* * *

(The credits are rolling and a face appears on the screen, holding a microphone. The person fades in to full screen. It's a woman wearing black chain pants and a black tank top with long brown hair.) _

"Hi, this is Elenea Galad. Welcome to the first Behind the Scenes edition of Avatar: The Last Air-bender's Prophesied! Chapter 21 is over and there are only four more chapters to the conclusion of the First Arc! But don't worry; the Second Arc will be just as good. But now, you get to see what our stars do after the show is over!"

_(flash to Sokka sleeping then flash back to Elenea, who is frowning)_

"Well, that's not too surprising now is it? Now, let me introduce my co-host for today. By the way, there will be a new co-host each week. Today, my co-host is animecatdragon!"

_(cat comes on, also holding a mike) _"It's great to be here, Elenea! And when you told me I was going to be doing this well…I did Sokka's happy dance!"

"I hope the Muses let you off easy."

"Oh, I just threatened to turn Mave into a bunny again."

_(flash to picture of vampyric bunny)_

_(Elenea) _"Oh that was too good. Well, now let's go on to the show! Our stars have had plenty of time to get to their dressing rooms, so let's go to the hidden cameras!"

_(screen changes to camera view of Katara's dressing room. Katara is taking off make-up; disembodied voices of Elenea and Cat continue)_

"_Whoa! She looks so different without her make-up!"_

"_And people say she's the prettiest on the show…" _

"_Yue's got her by a mile." _

_(Haru enters Katara's dressing room) _"Here's your script for Chapter 22 Katara…whoa!"

_(Katara looks up) _"What?"

"Um…er…nothing…I gotta go…lift some heavy stuff…er…bye!"

"That was strange…"

"_That was hilarious!" _

_(audience laughter)_

_(Katara looks around room) "_Who's there? What's funny? WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING AT ME?"

_(Katara runs out of room)_ "SOKKA, THE VOICES ARE BACK!"

_(screen changes back to Elenea and Cat who are leaning on each other for support)_

_(Elenea)_ "Oh, that was too funny. No wonder the make-up artists wanted a raise!"

_(Cat)_ "Poor Haru! Someone should go comfort him. And I feel sorry for Zuko! Let's pray he never sees her without make-up!"

_(Elenea nods)_ Well, that's all the time we have! See you next time on BS! And don't forget to review!

* * *


	22. Missing

**AN: **Okay. I adapted this chapter 5 times and it would never come out the way I planned so I just deleted some stuff, saved it for the second arc, and am winging this chapter. This chapter is also very sad at the end. You have been warned.

'Sora' means 'sky' or 'air' in Japanese. Here, it is used as a type of Ki-Lin. Like Haku is a Kuro Ki-Lin? There are Sora Ki-Lin.

**Ziri: **reading script Hey Elen! You wrote something that has no back story and no further meaning!

**Elenea:** I know! Isn't it wonderful?

**Shiroten:** For anyone who doesn't know, and who wouldn't, 'hentai' means 'pervert.'

**Elenea:** gives peace offering of wolf pup to wolfhorse DON"T HURT ME! …or my reviewers. I like them.

* * *

"_Even though I'm the sacrifice  
__You won't try for me, not now  
__Though I'd die to know you love me  
__I'm all alone  
__Isn't someone missing me?"_

_--Missing by Evanescence_

**

* * *

**

Chapter 22: Missing

She ran through the woods with the ice wolves right behind her. Her sleek crimson coat was stained darker by the blood that flecked from her wounds. Her wings were plastered to her body, delicate feathers torn askew. The wolves were more at home in the woods that she was, for she was an open creature, and they were gaining on her easily. Her alicorn was shining a deep rose with her distress but, ignoring the pain in her muscles, she forced herself to run just a little faster.

The prey and her predators burst from the woods. Just south of them was the Earth Kingdom city of Tasha, but none of them paid it any mind. There was an open gorge in front of them, abandoned by the miners, and the wounded Ki-Lin made her way towards it. In pain, her wings loosened, prying themselves from the drying blood and floating just alongside her as she ran.

The ice wolves burst from the trees, the size of small horses and white as the snow they were born from. What ice wolves were doing so far from the mountains she didn't stop to wonder about, just kept running. They caught up with the tiring Sora and one snapped at her flanks. She was too tired to fight back and just put on an extra bit of speed. Without breaking stride, she leapt out into the space above the gorge.

If anyone had been watching, they would've been treated to a very rare sight.

The Sora Ki-Lin unfurled her wings and they hit the open air in a picturesque scene, her knees held up and back legs thrown out to give her more propulsion. Quickly, her wings caught the air and bore her on the wind. The wolves leapt after her but, lacking the means to fly, they plummeted to the earth so far below. But the Ki-Lin was in no better condition. Her wings were wounded and couldn't hold her much longer.

An instant later she closed her wings to keep them from breaking and fell to the earth. She hit the side of the gorge, rolling down the rocky earth into a patch of bramble and thorns. There she lay, too weak to move. If any of the ice wolves had survived, she'd be easy prey. With a shuddering breath, she faded into unconsciousness.

* * *

The Fire Nation capital loomed ahead of the small ship that had once belonged to Prince Zuko and now carried his crew and uncle. Iroh watched the city he hadn't been to in over three years grow on the horizon with a heavy heart. The city carried many memories, good and bad, but for now, he was too worried about his nephew to worry about himself. Otherwise he would've been wondering about the plans his younger brother had come up with.

Fire Lord Ozai was having a good day, despite his arm being bound and his shoulder twitching in pain every now and then. A very good day. The Fire Sages had something to talk about with him, he was finally meeting with the leader of the disbanded YuuYan archers, and the invasion of the Achlys Mountains was going as smoothly as possible, all thanks to his newest general, Peris. The boy had skills in politics that Ozai had never seen before, not even in his father, Fire Lord Azulon, but his skills on the battlefield were indescribable. He was nearly as good at fire-bending as Princess Azula.

An older official was waiting for him as he reached the war chamber, but though the soldier was reaching into his upper seventies, he was hardly weakened any by amount of age. His body was still lean and hardened by years of training. Though he no longer wore the distinct uniform of the YuuYans, their teachings were still reflected in his eyes.

"Master Yagara," The Fire Lord said simply.

"Fire Lord,"

"I trust the rebellion has been squashed."

"Yes, sir."

"And the troops?"

"Only two archers have repeatedly avoided our attempts to make contact. They are loyal and I'm sure as soon as they know that you are seeking their services, they will return."

"Who are they?"

"Their names as soldiers are Kumo and Hebi, but their real names are Yashamaru and Li."

"Yashamaru…as in the son of General Santher?"

"Yes, sir, he was the leader of the Satsugai Ka."

"The YuuYan assassination division…and you believe they will return?"

Master Yagara nodded, a slight bow in his stance. "Yes, sir. Both Yashamaru and Li are extremely loyal."

* * *

The two YuuYans in question were strolling down an Earth Kingdom road, 300 gold pieces richer though with empty stomachs due to the fact that they couldn't find a safe town to eat in.

"Agni, I am so hungry I could eat a Fire Lord."

"Li, you're such a baka."

* * *

Fire Lord Ozai nodded. "Thank you, Master Yagara."

The YuuYan leader nodded and then took his leave. Unlike the Fire Lords before him, Ozai understood that the YuuYans bowed to no man and great care was needed to see that they remained under his authority. Well, he'd kept his generals waiting long enough.

Suddenly, there was a flare of heat from his side. He hissed and glanced down, finding that the Qiang, reclaimed and at his side, was white-hot and setting his robes on fire. A servant saw the dilemma and ran forward with a pitcher of water, which the Fire Lord quickly dropped the Qiang into.

The servant then hurried away after a simple bow to his lord.

Without further hesitation, Ozai entered the war chamber where his generals had deemed to see him.

* * *

Ziri was exhausted. His body had been so wired on adrenaline and on the high that the Qiang left him with that he hadn't slept since the Agni Kai. Now he lay limp against the cold wall of his cell, staring at the metal with half-lidded eyes.

The cell was impenetrable, solid metal for all four 8 foot walls except for a small grate at the top of the back wall which allowed fresh air to pour in. The door was fire-sealed and could not be distinguished from the rest of the prison once inside.

Ziri had no idea how much time had passed. He knew his days by when the guards came. They came in the morning with breakfast and at dusk with dinner. Both meals were simply a water skin and two pieces of bread. Surprisingly, the meals weren't half-bad. They weren't the best, but definitely not the worst.

When the guards came this morning, Ziri knew that they wouldn't be happy. He hadn't been hungry last night and hadn't cared this morning, so last night's meal had not been touched.

There came the slight hissing as they prepared to open the cell door and Ziri's eyes fluttered slightly. Then the heavy grating of the door sliding back and the guard came in. Ziri listened as he stepped inside, bent, and then froze.

"What's the meaning of this?"

Ziri said nothing and the guard frowned.

"You plan on starving yourself?"

Again, Ziri said nothing. He was too tired.

"Well, it's not going to work. I'll force feed you if I have to!"

Ziri sighed. "I just wasn't hungry. Leave it. I'll eat it later."

The guard blinked and then sighed.

"Look, Prince Zuko, I really don't care for this whole situation. Your sister, Princess Azula, is perfectly suited for the throne, but that's not what I'm talking about. No matter what, a father shouldn't do this to his son. I have two, and I know."

Ziri said nothing. He'd be sure to relay the information to Zuko later. The guard gave him a gentle smile and Ziri's eyes flicked to catch it.

"Just remember, you have a lot of loyal followers in the Fire Nation. People who'd rather see you on the throne than Princess Azula."

Then the grating and the hissing was back as the guard left, leaving Ziri's breakfast behind as well.

His "I'm not Prince Zuko." Was half-hearted from being repeated too many times.

Ziri sighed and closed his eyes. He was really glad he wasn't actually the Prince. This was all too confusing. And who was Azula?

Not to mention he wanted to know why he and Zuko looked so much alike.

Finally the exhaustion swept in and Ziri curled up against the floor and slept.

* * *

Shiroten lay half-asleep amidst the array of blankets and pillows on his bed. It had been a while since he'd slept on a real bed and he was nearly drunk with the pleasure of it all. On top of that, there was something warm and soft wrapped against his back and something was softly stroking the strands of hair nearest his face.

Or someone.

With a startled cry, Shiroten pushed away from the person and in doing so, fell off the bed, hitting the packed dirt floor hard as well as smacking his head against the corner of his desk.

Slowly sitting up, he massaged the side of his head, the sheets pooled around his waist. A soft chuckle came from the bed.

"Did I frighten you, Sho-sho?"

"What the…Zyperis!"

Shiroten struggled to his feet, grabbing the sheet and holding it around his waist as he turned to face his brother. The other teen was lounging on the bed, a soft smile on his face as he viewed the startled shadow-bender.

After getting over the initial shock, Shiroten smirked.

"Well, you haven't changed a bit."

Zyperis crawled over the bed and stood in front of his brother and Shiroten took the moment to observe his brother.

Since arriving at the temple, Zyperis had exchanged the heavy Fire Nation armor for a simpler outfit consisting of a loose black shirt, the edges of which disappeared into black high-waist form-fitting pants. The blacks of the outfit were so perfectly matched that you could barely tell where they blended together, from the neck of his shirt to the tip of the black riding boots. The tiniest amount of gold embroidery went down the sides of the boots as well as around the wrists of the sleeves.

Shiroten couldn't help it as his smirk grew into a full smile. Zyperis raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Maybe you've changed a little bit."

Zyperis chuckled. "So have you, but you don't see me ranting about it."

Shiroten blushed in embarrassment. Somehow, Zyperis always made him feel inferior, but the spark he saw in his brother's serpentine eyes let him know that Zyperis was joking.

"Some things deserve to be ranted about, Zippy."

Suddenly, the mirthful look in his brother's eyes disappeared and Zyperis crossed the distance between in three quick steps. Shiroten automatically shrank back as Zyperis placed his hands on Shiroten's shoulders, firmly. Zyperis' eyes widened in surprise then softened in sadness.

"You don't actually think I'd hurt you, do you Shiroten?"

He quickly embraced his brother before Shiroten could react.

"I've missed you, ototo, but I knew you'd keep your promise."

There was a moment of awkward silence before Shiroten tried to quietly clear his throat and Zyperis stiffened.

"Um, Zyperis?"

Zyperis sighed, but refused to lessen his grip on his brother.

"Yes, Shiroten?"

"…I'm not wearing anything."

Zyperis paused, a sly smile creeping its way onto his face.

"There's the sheet. Isn't that big enough?"

* * *

A few nuns were making their way down the hall when a loud crash alerted them to a disturbance and they rushed down the hall. They needn't have for anyone on the premises could have heard Shiroten.

"HENTAI! GET OUT OF MY ROOM!"

This was followed by a screen crashing shut and a body hitting the wall opposite the screen.

* * *

It took Jun nearly three hours to fully outfit Rou in what she deemed fit for him. Her first instinct had been to let Rou pick what he wanted, but that had led to him admiring Fire Nation armor and wanting to buy half the marketplace, so she took over.

Finally, standing in the shop looking into the full-length mirror, Jun was impressed. She stood back to admire her handiwork with a small smile on her face.

Rou was dressed in a loose white shirt. It had once had nice loose sleeves, but after spending an hour trying to figure out how to tie them so Rou could use his hands, Jun had torn them off. The shirt was tucked into a pair of high waist pants, gray, which were loose but not too loose, but not quite form-fitting.

She'd been very adamant about that.

His boots had come from an old hunter who'd turned merchant down the street. The pair of white boots had come from the skin of an albino saber tooth moose, the hunter claimed, and Jun was beginning to think he was right. Besides, the boots were so soft and supple to allow for free movement and the soles had been serrated to provide extra grip.

They'd come with Jun without much of a fight.

Using the torn sleeves of the shirt, she'd wrapped strips of cloth around his wrists to hide the marks. As a final touch, and with the final piece of cloth, she pulled back his now shoulder length silver hair and tied it in a short ponytail.

In an instant, Rou no longer looked like an over-grown child, but a strong teenager.

"All right, Rou. You can open your eyes."

Rou's alabaster eyes flicked open and he couldn't suppress a grin.

"I look cool."

Jun matched his grin. "Yes, you do. I think I did a good job."

There was a cry outside and Rou snapped his head around, flying out the door with Jun at his heels.

In the streets, a couple of Fire Nation soldiers were harassing an older man. Others in the marketplace were ignoring what was happening though they wanted to stop it; Jun could see it in their eyes. What she didn't see was Rou stepping forward.

One of the soldiers raised his hand to strike the man when his wrist was caught, mid-movement. He stared through hazel eyes at the boy who had dared to interfere.

"Leave him alone."

The other soldier knocked the man down and placed a foot on his back.

"What are you going to do about it, boy?"

The soldier who was held by Rou took advantage of his inattention and snapped his wrist free, bringing the same hand up to back slap Rou. The movement was stopped dead when a whip caught his wrist and sent him flying backwards.

"He has me."

Jun cracked the whip for good measure. "And anyone who messes with him, messes with me."

There were murmurs from the gathering crowd and a group of Fire Nation soldiers came from within one of the stores. One of them was clearly a high-ranking officer.

"You're the bounty hunter, Jun."

"Former." She corrected and the officer smiled slightly.

"You have done many services for the Fire Nation. I am willing to overlook these events if you will stand down now."

"And if we don't?" Rou stated indignantly. "Should we stand-by and watch your men beat an innocent man?"

The soldier who'd fallen to Jun's whip sat up holding his arm. "He owes us taxes."

"Everyone owes taxes, even you. Would you like to be beaten?"

The soldier fell silent. The officer smirked and took a few steps towards Rou. Jun stepped quickly forward.

"He fights for innocents. A strange companion for a bounty hunter."

Jun stepped up right beside the two. "I am not a bounty hunter anymore, and I swear, if you touch him…"

"And what happens when you falter? It doesn't seem that he can take care of himself."

Rou glared at the officer. "She fights because those who fight me…die."

Jun stared at the child beside her, but he wouldn't back down. He was trembling, what with she wasn't sure, but the glow in his eyes said that they shouldn't continue. She turned to the officer.

"Go, now, before you make him angrier."

The officer stared at her for a moment and then laughed.

"You two aren't worth the trouble anyway."

He turned and walked away without looking back, his soldiers just steps behind him. Jun looked at Rou, who was staring at the ground with a sheepish look on his face.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me."

She laid a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Rou. It's not your fault."

"Will you teach me?"

Jun blinked, her smile fading into puzzlement. "Teach you what?"

"How to fight? To defend myself? So, I won't…won't have to use that…power."

Jun looked at him, her eyes soft, and the tiniest smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

"Of course." She placed an arm around his shoulders. "Let's go."

Rou nodded, and they headed out of the town.

* * *

The town itself was a better place after that day, the people somehow finding the strength to rise up and chase the Fire Nation out of their town. The warriors that fought to free the village found themselves thinking of the little warrior in white and the rumors began…speaking of the warrior, calling him Shiroi Ryuu.

* * *

Qing-Yuan made her way to her lord's room where he awaited her. Entering, she bowed her respect to him.

"My Lord Eimin,"

He smiled. "Qing-Yuan, It's been a while hasn't it?"

She nodded. "But I knew you would return, and I waited."

"I knew you would. You were one of my more faithful followers."

She bowed deeply. "I thank you."

His smile grew. "It's true. Which is why I would also like to know what you have been doing while I've been gone."

Qing-Yuan's heart stopped. "M-my Lord?"

"That's not a problem, is it?"

"O-of course not."

The sharp bite of his magic came without warning, piercing into her subconscious, her memories, leaving behind a searing pain. She gasped but opened her mind to him, knowing it would be worse if she tried to hide anything.

Eimin stemmed through the flurry of images and memories that flooded to him from Qing-Yuan's opened mind.

"_My sisters and I will be happy to accommodate you and your friends, young Avatar." _

_Avatar…useless brat. _He pushed on.

_A vision of a young girl in blue. "I know you are the Daughter of Nen." _

He smirked. _So you're the child she gave her freedom for. That may prove useful. _

_Then a vision, a teenage bounty hunter, strong and willful with a teenage boy standing next to her, frightened. She's protecting him. _

"_If he is as powerful as you say he is, I'm sure the Fire Lord will pay a great deal for him." _

_As they walked away, the boy turned and looked back with fear but triumph in his eyes. _

_That's…_The revelation sent Eimin sprawling back out of Qing-Yuan's mind and she looked at him questioningly as he began to laugh.

"That…that foolish Ki-Lin!"

"My Lord?"

"He…he made me believe…Alem returned to Origin! But he's _here_! And he's…he's _human_!"

Eimin fell back into the chair, laughter still rolling from him and Qing-Yuan shrank back in fear, for what could make a God of Death laugh?

"Think of it, Qing-Yuan! The one Element, the Key, the one _being_ on this planet that can stop me…_is a teenage boy_!"

Qing-Yuan blinked and smiled sheepishly, thinking of how she had held that boy captive.

Eimin couldn't stop laughing. "And that stupid Ki-Lin thought he could trick me!"

Qing-Yuan took her leave, slipping out the door like a innocent…or so she thought.

"Where are you going?"

"Does my Lord still have need of me?"

Eimin grinned. "Well, we still have one matter of business to take care of."

Qing-Yuan froze and Eimin stood. "You knew I would return, but you _did_ doubt."

Qing-Yuan gasped, her hand flying to her throat. "M-my Lord, I-I would…"

"And you thought you'd do something…just in case. You made a scheme…to control the Power of the Four. How?"

She never hesitated. "A spell on the Heiki."

"An interesting idea. You always were a brilliant one, but…you did wrong."

Qing-Yuan fell to her knees, not bothering to face her lord.

"Please forgive me, Lord Eimin! I doubted!"

"I know you are sorry, but you must be punished. I'm in a good mood, so I'll be lenient…this time."

A piercing scream ripped through the silence and birds took flight from the forest around. Haku looked up and watched them as they winged away, and then sighed before entering the temple once more.

* * *

Sokka leapt forward and joined Katara on Appa's head while Aang sat in his meditative position, consumed in the blue glow of the Spirit World. They scanned the roiling waves of the ocean for Zuko.

"What is he doing now?"

Katara shrugged. "I don't know. Can you see him?"

"No…wait, there!"

Sokka pointed and Katara spun Appa in the direction, now seeing the flash of blue from Zuko's shirt. The young prince was swimming strongly through the waves towards something only he could see. Katara felt a surge of pride, thinking of how she was the one who had taught him to swim.

Zuko pushed himself forward through the water, remembering his lessons with Katara and folding his hands to curve the water around him. He wasn't sure what he had seen in the water, but he was sure it was something worth jumping into the foul-smelling, wet, salty, wet, rough, wet, stinging, wet, and cold ocean. Did I mention wet?

Then his hand hit something solid and he reached his target. It was an elk, female, with a young girl as a rider. The girl had tied her hands to the elk's halter and her head rested just behind the elk's ear, barely above the water. The elk determinedly paddled on, keeping her own head above water and protecting her mistress.

Zuko took her halter and guided the elk over to him, where she rested her head against his shoulder happily. He placed his arms around her neck and checked the girl, who was alive but dehydrated and probably hadn't eaten in days.

Katara landed Appa in the water a few feet away.

"Who is it, Zuko?"

"A Water Tribe girl by her clothing. There's an elk with her. We need to get to dry land."

Katara looked around, as did Sokka. "There's an island over there. Follow us."

Zuko tugged gently on the elk's halter.

"All right," he said soothingly. "We're going to follow the big fluffy thing and then you can rest, okay?"

The elk grunted in response and they followed Appa, the bison flying slowly to allow for their harder passage, but soon they reached the island.

Zuko's dagger cut the leather strips of the elk's halter and, once free, the elk hunkered over to a clearing, collapsed to the ground, and then began munching on the rain-soaked grass. Zuko gathered the girl into his arms and laid her next to the fire that Sokka had built in a moment using some spare firewood they had.

"Who do you think she is?" Sokka inquired.

Zuko snorted lightly. "You're asking me? You're from the Water Tribe."

"Boys, don't bicker." Katara said, chastising. "Try to wake her up, Zuko, but gently."

"What do you take me for?"

Katara was about to answer but Zuko silenced her with a look. Sokka got Aang off of Appa and laid him down on Katara's sleeping bag before returning to the unknown girl.

Zuko gently patted the side of her face while supporting her in the crook of his arm.

"Wake up," he crooned gently. "You're safe now, wake up."

It seemed his method worked for the girl's eyes fluttered and then opened fully, coming to rest on Zuko's face just above hers. He smiled and there was a moment of silence as a huge smile broke over the girl's face.

"Ziri!" she shouted as she surged up and hugged Zuko.

Sokka fell back with a shout of surprise. Momo flew up from his spot on Zuko's shoulder into the trees and hissed at the girl. Nakara blinked, as did Katara. Zuko never looked more surprised.

"Um…have we met?"

The girl pulled out of the hug but her smile never wavered, her arms coming to rest on Zuko's upper arms.

"It's me, Ziri! Your sister, Midori! I was sure that you'd been killed in the raid, but here you are! Oh, I…"

Zuko placed a hand over her mouth and she blinked.

"I'm not Ziri."

"Hmhmhm mhmhhhmmh mmhm."

Zuko blinked and then removed his hand.

Midori sighed. "But you have to be. You look just like my brother."

Now it was Zuko's turn to sigh. "My name is Zuko and…"

He didn't get any further. Midori shrieked and fell away from him, crawling over Sokka in the process. In her haste, she ended up curled up behind the Water Tribe warrior, viewing Zuko over his shoulder. Sokka met Zuko's gaze and shrugged.

"…and I was the Fire Prince." Zuko finished rather solemnly.

"Was?" Midori repeated.

"Long story and I'm too lazy to tell you." Zuko stated.

Katara smiled and placed a hand on Zuko's arm. "If I may?"

Zuko shrugged and Katara faced Midori, who blinked over Sokka's shoulder.

"I'm sorry if we startled you. Zuko found you floating with your elk…"

"Zana!" Midori rushed up and over to her elk while Katara blinked and Zuko rolled his eyes.

"Wow, she's more eccentric than you Katara."

Katara glared at her brother. Midori happily embraced her elk.

"Oh, Zana, how can I ever thank you enough? You saved my life!"

Katara was not to be put out, however.

"Um, Midori was it?'

Midori turned around. "It was."

"Well, I'm Katara and that's my brother, Sokka. You've already met Zuko, of course. Over there's Aang, the Avatar."

Midori blinked. "Why's he all blue?"

Sokka grinned. "Because he's gone all Avatar-stuff on us."

Zuko rolled his eyes and Katara groaned, but Midori giggled.

"Avatar-stuff, that's funny."

Sokka beamed.

* * *

Aang stared around at the world he had entered. He was definitely in a part of the Spirit World he'd never seen before. He was in a large, thick forest, the sunlight beaming through the trees and the chirping of birds all around him. Aang grinned as he saw a small hamster mole and her children scamper across the path he stood on. Unlike the swamp, this was an overall pleasant place.

He heard a crashing behind him and turned around to find Roku, but found that the previous Avatar had mysteriously vanished.

"Roku!"

There was no response and Aang shrugged, surging on ahead. He felt really slow, running without his bending, but he felt a strong pull, an urgency to get to whatever was ahead.

* * *

Fire Lord Ozai entered the war chamber, his arm still bandaged, and he found that the generals were already having a heated debate over the fate of his son.

"What if the boy's story is true? What if he isn't Prince Zuko?"

"I listened to that madness all the way on return to Sozun! It's pure raving idiocy!"

"I've listened to it too! Many times!"

The Fire Lord cleared his throat and the debates fell silent. They bowed their heads while he passed and took his place on the throne.

"Fire Lord, if I may?"

Ozai was surprised to see General Peris there; the other generals giving the teenager hearty glares, but Ozai nodded and allowed Peris to speak. Peris lowered his head calmly and spoke softly, as always.

"I too have heard the boy's story. He claims to have grown up in Cascada and having recently moved to Sharra after an incident. Sharra was destroyed by General Zade within the past few weeks. So it is possible that his story is true. Perhaps he isn't Prince Zuko."

He waved his hand as if this were of no consequence at all. One of the other generals stood in a flourish, glaring at the young general.

"Are you saying that we should just let this brat go?"

Peris laughed, actually laughed. A vein appeared in the general's forehead, pulsing with his withheld anger.

"No! That's not what I'm saying at all. Of course, whether or not he is Prince Zuko, he did attempt to take our Fire Lord's life."

Peris turned to look the Fire Lord full in the eyes. "The law declares the only punishment for such a crime…is death."

There was a moment's pause and then the Fire Lord nodded.

And so it was written in the records that Prince Zuko would be executed in three days' time for the crime of attempted assassination.

* * *

Zyperis knelt, sitting on his feet with his eyes closed, the window open before him pointed to the west. Eimin stood nearby in the shadows of the room. The sunlight streamed in as it hovered west from the straight bow of noon, enveloping Zyperis in its rays.

The elder Prince of Darkness appeared completely relaxed, but one need only to take a second look at his position to understand. While his hands rested on his knees, the long lacquered nails were hooked slightly into the black cloth of his pants. Slight furrows appeared in his brow with the concentration.

Manipulating someone's appearance and the sound of their voice wasn't really a big deal, requiring only a cross of Spirit and Air. Manipulating someone's mind to allow such changes from half-way across the world however, was slightly more difficult. It would also cost the soul of the body being used.

"Is it done?" Eimin inquired.

Zyperis cut off his link to the servant he had stolen and nodded even as he felt them die.

"The Spirit of the Four will die in three days' time."

Eimin smiled. "And then their power will be useless. There is only Alem to take care of now."

Zyperis opened his eyes and turned his head to view his father. "And how will you do that?"

Eimin turned and walked towards the door. It was over his shoulder that he responded.

"I will destroy him before he has time to realize his full power."

"That seems dishonorable."

Eimin spun around to find that Zyperis hadn't even moved.

"I didn't ask for your opinion! Am I to wait until he has regained his full strength? Am I to be Sealed again? No! I won't wait any longer!"

"How many times have you dreamed of a final showdown between you and the brat that has thwarted you even since Origin? Will you give that up so easily?"

"Is everyone against me? I won't wait for him to grow up!"

"Then give him incentive to grow up faster. Make him learn to control his powers."

Eimin blinked, staring at the back of his son's head, and then he grinned. Zyperis smirked. Eimin's grin grew.

"I will need to borrow your gift again."

"Later." Zyperis stated simply as he stood. Eimin stopped short at this defiance.

"Why?"

Zyperis tried not to remark on how much his father now sounded like a child. "It takes a lot of concentration and energy to manipulate a human soul. I'm tired and I have a headache. I'm going to go rest and then I'll do what you wish."

"When?"

"Tomorrow, perhaps."

Eimin was unable to speak as Zyperis sauntered past him and down the hall once again, heading towards where Shiroten's room was.

Slipping inside the dark room, Zyperis found that Shiroten was sleeping again, curled up on the immense bed, one arm tucked behind his head and the other stretched out in front of him as he lay on his side. Zyperis quietly and carefully lay down beside his brother, wrapping one arm around him and pulling Shiroten against him. He rested his forehead on the space between his brother's shoulder blades and sighed contentedly.

"I'm sorry, Shiroten," he whispered. "Sorry for all you've had to go through. But, we're together now. I'll never let you go again."

* * *

Slowly, the clouds rolled over and it began to rain. Perhaps rain is too light a word. Zuko, with Aang on his back, trudged through the mud looking like the angry fire-bender he was, described the falling water as angry tears ravaging the land it took birth from. It took every ounce of his tightly won control, honed and perfected over the years, to keep from cursing everything within sight as his entire body was soaked through. Appa took random moments to shake the water from his fur, something that Katara and Sokka were apparently used to. Midori had fallen quiet, thank the gods.

Katara took one look at Zuko and promptly laughed out loud. He glared at her but was rather helpless being so completely soaking wet. Not that he hadn't been before, after jumping into the ocean to retrieve Midori, but still…this was taking it to a new level.

Sokka glanced over as Zuko shifted the Avatar on his back. Less than a week ago he would've never trusted the Fire Prince to be holding Aang right now, and there were still levels that he didn't trust Zuko on, but somehow, he couldn't help but feel safe. Zuko seemed strange as he was now, and there were a lot of unsolved problems in his personality, but he wasn't trying to kill them anymore.

"Where are we going?" Midori asked quietly.

"The Earth Kingdom city of Tasha, where we hope to find Aang an earth-bending teacher."

"That's why we're going? I thought we were just going because Hakoda told us to."

"That's not why!" Sokka yelled, waving his arms to emphasize his point. Zuko blinked. "We're going because we need to find an earth-bending teacher! Our father has nothing to do with this! And don't speak about him so familiarly!"

"What am I supposed to call him? Mister Water Tribe guy?"

"That's it!"

Sokka attacked Zuko using wild and obviously not thought out hand-to-hand combat and as Zuko easily dodged each blow, he cried out in annoyance.

"Hey! Still carrying Avatar here! Ow!" he shouted just as Sokka managed to graze his shoulder. He spun easily despite Aang's weight and brought his heel up in a roundhouse kick to Sokka's stomach. The Water Tribe warrior slammed into a tree but was quickly on his feet, running towards Zuko, who braced for impact.

"Boys, please! Stop fighting!" Katara called when there came a low rumbling from beneath them, far below the rain-soaked ground and then the earth beneath Zuko and Sokka collapsed.

Moments later, the ground where Katara and Midori were standing collapsed as well, sending all of them crashing down into the earth.

The sullen darkness was all around them and Katara was the first one to string together a few coherent words, amidst groans from Sokka and a few strings of curses from Zuko.

"Is everybody okay?"

"I'm alive." Zuko said sullenly. "And so is the Avatar."

"I'm okay." Midori whispered.

"WOOHOO! That was fun! Who's up for round 2?"

Sokka's outburst was met with an sullen and awkward silence in which, though he couldn't see them, Sokka could feel their glares.

"Okay, I'll shut up."

"Thank you."

"Ow! Who's that?"

"It's the Avatar, idiot."

"Oh. Okay, got him."

A flame lit up in Zuko's hand and illuminated the cave. Sokka now had Aang on his back and the three boys were standing a few feet away from the girls. Katara stood and helped Midori up and all together they stood and looked around their surroundings.

They were in an underground cavern, the light from Zuko's flame sparkling off the salt crystals embedded in the cavern walls. The hole through which they fell was several hundred feet above them.

"What happened?" Midori inquired.

"The ground was already unstable due to this cavern and with the rain and our combined weight collapsed."

"Oh."

Katara sighed. "It's too high too climb and the walls are slick with rain."

Zuko moved his hand to illuminate the interior. "There are tunnels. Maybe if we follow them they'll lead out."

"Look!" Midori shouted. "Running water!"

In truth, a small stream ran down one of the tunnels.

"Water always returns to the ocean." Katara stated, and so the group started down the tunnel.

An hour later and Zuko was not very happy. He was carrying Aang once more but that wasn't the problem. What was the problem was that they were trudging through knee-deep ice cold water and he was already soaked through.

"I regret submitting this idea for consideration."

Katara laughed. "It's just a little water, Zuko!"

"That doesn't mean I have to like it."

Midori and Katara laughed. Suddenly, Zuko stopped and turned his head, the glow of the Avatar's eyes and arrows bright against the close tunnel.

"Um, am I the only one who hears that?"

Katara turned around. "No, and I feel it too."

"What is it?" Sokka inquired.

Midori shivered. "I feel it too, it's a fast-moving displacement of water caused by…"

At that moment, a huge surge of water appeared, cascading down the tunnel, filling it from top to bottom.

"Who cares? Run!" Zuko shouted as they all did so.

The water seemed to thin as they ran, becoming only a few inches deep and splashing up as their feet hit it, but they soon realized why.

Before them was an immense waterfall, surging down at least several hundred feet before erupting over sharp rocks to an aquifer of water below. They were trapped beneath the waterfall and the torrent of water behind them.

Katara and Midori spun around, both bringing their hands up in the same motion. As the torrent reached them, it parted in a 'V' around them, spilling off the sides of the waterfall. They didn't have time to marvel over the previously unknown fact that Midori could water-bend as Zuko and Sokka raised their arms to protect their faces from the sharp pricks of water that hit them like bullets.

The power of the water was too much for the two benders, even combined, especially since the water would not stop flowing. Katara and Midori slowly slid back until they lost control of the water completely. The torrents hit the group hard, sending them flying over the cliff to the icy depths below.

* * *

Aang stopped and bent over his knees, gasping for air. Suddenly, he heard voices in front of him. He parted the branches and looked in on a clearing. He gasped at what he saw.

Agni was there, an immense golden dragon, comforting what was apparently a large black/brown wolf, Mamoru.

"There's nothing you could've done, Mamoru, but we have to stop Eimin, now that we know who is behind this."

Mamoru nodded. "I just wish…I could've done more. Now…now he has Makani, Kaia, and Shasa."

An involuntary tremor wracked through Agni's body and he sighed, staring at the ground.

"We can only do so much."

The wolf rested his head against the dragon's shoulder. "I wish Alem was here."

"It's foolish wishing for something that won't happen."

"Why? Why won't it happen?"

* * *

There was a flurry of gold and Agni appeared in his human form. Aang gasped as he recognized the man he had met so long ago. Then he'd been accompanied by a woman in blue. Shasa?

Another flush of wind and Mamoru emerged, human as well. He was curled up on himself, his knees tucked to his chest and his arms around his knees. His soft green eyes followed the Fire God as he turned to watch the sun set.

* * *

"Do you know what really happened to Alem?"

"He didn't just disappear, did he?"

Agni shook his head. "After Eimin was Sealed, Alem didn't want him ever to escape, so he Sealed himself to prevent that from happening."

"But if Alem was Sealed, then how…"

"He sent his spirit into the human race, to ever be born into another child, reincarnated until body and soul can once more be reunited."

"Then if we find this child…!"

Agni sighed. "Only one can unlock Alem's Seal. He did it the same way with Eimin's Seal."

"Then who?"

"The Spirit of the Four."

"Who's that?"

"I'm not sure."

Agni knelt and drew five symbols in the dirt, four of which were the symbols of the nations.

"There's Katara, the Daughter of Nen. Kioko, the Daughter of Kaia. The Son of Samir, which is currently unknown."

Mamoru snorted and Agni grinned. "And, of course, my son, Zuko."

* * *

Aang froze, one sentence reverberating through his head. _The Daughter of Nen belongs to the Son of Agni and no other! You shall not touch her again! _

He had kissed her at the North Pole to tell Shasa exactly who she belonged to, that no Son of Agni would take her from him, but if it was _Zuko!_? They already had a strong friendship, he'd seen that. What if something more had developed on that island? No. He wouldn't let anyone take her from him, not now that he had her, especially not Zuko.

* * *

Agni continued. "The Spirit of the Four is just that, a representative of Spirit. He, or she, is the one who will absorb and manipulate the Light of the Four. It is his gift, and only he can unlock Alem.""So, Alem made sure that he wouldn't be awakened until there was dire need. He knew that Eimin would return." 

"He had no doubt of it."

Mamoru sighed. "Okay. We find the Spirit, we go get him to unlock Alem, and there! Problem solved."

"Only one person knows where Alem is Sealed."

Mamoru's head shot up. "Don't tell me…Haku?"

Agni nodded.

"We're doomed."

* * *

Aang didn't hear any of this. He'd already pushed himself out of the Spirit World, desperate to return and eradicate their Zuko problems, but he found that his friends weren't in any better condition than he was emotionally. He opened his eyes to find them all underwater.

He himself was slipping away from Zuko, had he been the one carrying him? Sokka was beside him and Katara and some other girl were a few feet above them. They were all unconscious.

This time Aang didn't need his Avatar State. Twisting, he swirled the water around them and they rose up…and up. They rose until he found a ledge a few feet above the waterfall big enough for them all. Aang fell to his knees, gasping for air as the others slowly realized they were free of water and alive.

Katara woke first and she automatically checked the first person she came to, which happened to be Zuko.

"Zuko," She shook him lightly. "You okay?"

He blinked and sat up partially, both unconscious of her hand resting on his unscarred cheek.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Make sure the others are okay."

Aang couldn't stand the picture they created and was more than happy when Katara got up and woke Sokka and the other girl. Some of this happiness faded when Zuko walked over and knelt in front of him.

"Good thing you woke up then. Cold water a shock?"

Aang glowered but looked away as he was suddenly afraid to meet Zuko's gaze. "A shock, yes."

Zuko nodded. "Are you okay?"

Aang blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Well, usually, after the Avatar State…"

"Oh, that wasn't the Avatar State, that was me!" Aang laughed.

Zuko blinked. "Whoa. You've become a water-bending master then, huh?"

"Katara's the master, not me."

Zuko grinned and shrugged. Aang had carefully watched him throughout the conversation, seeking a hidden purpose or an uncanny affection for Katara, and he was frustrated when he couldn't find either one. Zuko walked away from the Avatar, found some brush growing from the cave walls and made a small fire which they all gathered up to.

Aang stared at Zuko, willing him to give something away, but all the Fire Prince gave away was that he was tired. He'd soon slumped against the cave wall, his eyes closed lightly. The new girl, whose name was Midori, curled up next to him, using his stomach for a pillow. Katara was nodding, and Aang quickly made himself available for her. She curled up against him and slept.

Sokka curled up with Momo.

Aang's gray eyes stayed open as he wasn't really tired. Of course his friends were exhausted from their ordeal, but he had been carried most of the way. He unconsciously smoothed Katara's hair and stared up at the ceiling of the cave. What was he supposed to do now? He had to kill the Fire Lord; that was his only purpose now. Perhaps he wasn't even to have Katara.

With these thoughts, Aang slept.

Above them, above ground, the sun set.

* * *

Zyperis woke from his light nap alone. It was dark, but then again, it was always dark in this room. He quickly stood and headed out into the hall. Everything was quiet, except for the sounds of night.

"Shiroten?"

He knew that his brother was a creature of the night but this put all things to end. He sighed and ran a head through his now disheveled hair.

Walking out onto the courtyard, he found his brother locked in an intricate dance of some sort. He danced and twisted through the air and across the smooth surface of the training yard. His arms and hands moved easily with his body.

"What…are you doing?"

Shiroten stopped and looked at his brother who still looked half-asleep.

"Training."

"To dance."

Shiroten laughed. "Come on and spar with me."

"Are you insane? If that's what you call training…"

Zyperis got no further. Something wrapped around his ankle, lifted him into the air, and then hurtled him down into the ground. He wasn't too badly hurt and he sat up sharply, staring at his brother.

"Still think I'm not doing anything, Zippy?"

Zyperis smirked at his brother, who had fallen into a bending stance. He stood and chose two kanji, Fire and Air, the first and last finger.

The battle began.

Fire met shadow as they twisted, attacked, avoided, and counterattacked. Sweat poured from their veins despite the cool night breeze. Gold and silver orbs gleamed in the full moonlight filled with determination and…something else. It couldn't be called amusement, could it? Could Zyperis' gritted teeth be called a grin? Could Shiroten's smirk be from more than just the battle?

Shiroten twisted around, bringing the shadows up into a swirling orb in front of him from which spun a blast of nearly solid shadow. Zyperis met it with an enormous flare of blue fire. As the two blasts burned out, the two sparring ran through their dissipating remains to turn the fight into purely close combat techniques.

Both brothers were equal in this field, their bodies moving in a beautiful, intricate, and deadly dance around each other. Zyperis knocked Shiroten down with a well-placed roundhouse kick and Shiroten used his own momentum to propel himself over in a back flip and landed on his feet, eager to resume the battle.

A kick to Zyperis' chest sent him flying backwards. The Earth kanji flared and softened his landing. With one smooth movement, he brought his knees to his chest and then down and forward sharply, bringing himself forward and up.

After a moment of heart-pounding silence, both teenagers straightened and bowed. Chests heaved for stolen air, veins pumped with adrenaline.

"When did you learn to do such things?"

Shiroten collapsed on the side of the field and Zyperis sat down next to him. "What, shadow-bend?"

"Yes."

"The shadows are a part of me. Manipulating them is like…wiggling my fingers." Shiroten did so to prove his point.

Zyperis shrugged. "That is a strange analogy."

* * *

Two sisters watched brothers from their window. One wore a soft smile and the other viewed them with contemplative eyes.

"What is Zyperis? How can he use the elements like that?" Shasa whispered softly.

"Zyperis is a sorcerer. The sorcerers of Origin, like Zyperis, captured Spirits of the Elements which gave them the power to manipulate the elements, but they needed a source to tap through. Zyperis used the kanji on his nails as his source and he is one of the few sorcerers to have captured every element. It makes him a formidable opponent."

Shasa nodded.

_

* * *

_

Please…please forgive me…

Ziri had heard the decree earlier that day. The decision that he was to die for a crime he was forced to commit. His golden eyes were closed, contemplating this fact.

_But I won't be home again…_

Could he do this? Could he die for someone he'd never even met?

_Maybe someday you'll look up…_

He had risked his life for the people in Sharra and they hadn't even blinked.

_And barely conscious you'll say to no one.._

They probably didn't even know he was gone.

_Isn't something missing?_

Would his life be in vain? Would he die in three days and never be remembered? No, this wasn't true. He had risked his life to save Midori's and she was still alive, somewhere. She would live because of him.

_You won't cry for my absence I know_

Would Zuko care if he died? Sure, they'd only known each other for a while and had been joined by the sick twists of fate, nothing more, but would it matter?

_You forgot me long ago_

Ziri decided then that it did. It did matter.

_Am I that unimportant? Am I so insignificant? _

Zuko would live because he would die. Thousands would live because Zuko would lead them to victory against the Fire Nation. Zuko had already told him that this was his dream now. To save the world from his father's tyranny. He would succeed because Ziri was willing to die for him.

_Isn't something missing? _

And the world…the world would see then how much he had mattered. And even if they didn't, Zuko would know. And that would be enough.

Zuko would miss him. Yes, and Midori would, too. And he could do it. Ziri decided this. He could. He could die for someone.

_Isn't someone missing me?_

With a sigh, Ziri found the link that connected him to Zuko, and severed it forever.

The guard came in and set his supper down. "Good night, Prince Zuko."

There was a steady silence and the guard turned around. "What? No "I'm not Prince Zuko," tonight?"

Ziri took a deep breath. "I lied. I am Prince Zuko. Good night."

The guard stood there for a moment and then walked out, the door hissing shut behind him.

Miles away, Zuko snapped awake with the feeling that he was missing something, but not knowing what he was missing.

* * *

Zk

Zk

Zk

Sorry for those who might've stopped by earlier. I uploaded the wrong chapter.

For the simple fact of not wanting to ruin the mood and getting this up before wolfhorse kills me, the next Behind the Scenes will be chapter 23. See you next time!

There is a video for Zuko to the song Missing by Evanescence in my profile. Enjoy.

Please Review.


	23. Broken Souls

_(screen plays with opening of Avatar then ends and camera focuses on girl now wearing jean shorts and a black t-shirt, Elenea) _

"_Hey everybody! Welcome to the long awaited Chapter 23 of Prophesied. Due to some minor changes in the plotline, there will be 27 chapters in Arc 1 rather than 25. So…we have a little bit longer to wait before I get my vacation. Well, here we are!" _

_She walks to the side of the stage to stand beside a cutout display of the main characters. _

"_Allow me to introduce my co-host for chapter 23 AND chapter 24, F22 Raptor!" _

_Raptor comes out on stage, mic in hand, looking around as he is very excited. _

"_Thanks Elenea. It's a great honor to be here!" _

_Elenea grins. "Of course it is!" She puts her arm around Raptor. _

"_Now, has everybody been to check out Powerful Benders, which is F22 Raptor's story? If you haven't…I will unleash my Violet Ice Berry Penguins on your…" _

"_Elenea…" _

"_Yup?"  
_

"_Don't kill the reviewers. Look, there's a random dragon youkai. Kill it." _

_Dragon youkai enters stage left. "Hi, I'm a random dragon youkai. Please kill me." _

_Elenea whips out katana. "'Kay." _

_Raptor watches as Elenea chases dragon youkai around stage, destroying most of set. _

"_Erm…okay. Well, enjoy the chapter! It's loaded with action, suspense, and in the next chapter …" _

_ZUTARA ZUTARA ZUTARA ZUTARA! WOOOO!_

_Raptor clears throat at singing angels who immediately apologize and stop. _

"_As I was saying…what you've all been waiting for, Zutara. And...due to Elenea's laziness and exhaustion from writing this chapter, Behind the Scenes: Prophesied Style has once agian been rescheduled. But stick around! The show's going to be awesome next chapter!" _

_Elenea comes over. "It wasn't a dragon youkai. It was a bunch of rabbit youkai dressed up as a dragon youkai. But hey! Who wants filet of bunny?" _

_Raptor shakes his head. "Enjoy the chapter."_

_(screen fade)_

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_You have to walk carefully in the beginning of love; the running across fields into your lover's arms can only come later when you're sure they won't laugh if you trip. _

_--Jonathan Carroll_

**Chapter 23: Broken Souls**

Mamoru and Agni stopped at the crossroads, both in their true form. Mamoru sighed.

"I'm going to go look for Kaia. The wolves said she wasn't at the Water Temple. Are you going to go after Shasa?"

Agni shook his head. "Shasa can take care of herself. I learned that a long time ago."

Mamoru nodded and then took off, running lithely down the left path. Agni watched him for a moment before unfolding his great wing and stretching them above his head. He quickly took to the air and headed north.

The air was electric around him. He felt sure that something was going to happen and soon. As he flew, the dragons that had been released felt his call and flew to him, forming a literal armada of dragons.

"Shasa can take care of herself." He said again to reassure himself.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What's wrong with her?"

Zyperis snorted while Shiroten just sharpened his dagger. Their father looked like he was having a nervous breakdown.

"She's pregnant, otou-san. What do you expect?"

"She's turning herself inside out!"

"It's…what do they call it…oh yes, morning sickness. It's normal."

"Are you sure?"

"Do I need to call Nen?"

Nen actually chose that moment to walk in. She looked like she'd aged overnight, her spirit returning in a blaze of light. Her eyes were the most fascinating thing of her being and drew Zyperis' attention like a moth to a flame. The blue orbs that had held no life when he'd first seen them as a child in this world now flamed with life, with hope, with being.

Zyperis smiled softly.

"Well, Shasa's going to be fine." Nen stated strongly.

"Are you sure?"

Nen blinked. Eimin's face was now inches away from hers. There was complete silence before he backed away and made a show of smoothing his clothes.

"She is essential to my plans, of course."

Nen smiled. "Of course. Don't worry, this is normal. I've been through it, Shasa's been through it, the mothers of your sons went through it, just relax and go about your dastardly plans."

Eimin looked like he was about to go pout, but sighed instead.

"Fine. I'll leave the temple to you, Nen."

"You're going to let me stay here unsupervised? How thoughtful."

"Qing-Yuan will keep an eye on you."

"Pathetic mortal."

A vein in Eimin's temple twitched and he turned to his sons. Shiroten was clothed in his usual daytime gear and Zyperis was dressed to be a Fire Nation general once more.

"Shiroten, you will accompany Zyperis as I have no further use for you."

"'Kay."

Eimin looked around at the three of them. "Is there something I should know about?"

"Nani?" Zyperis said.

"Everyone is being very compliant."

"And that's a problem how?" Shiroten's comment was muffled by the cloth over the lower half of his face.

Eimin shrugged. "I am returning to the Fire Nation."

His gaze fell on Zyperis. "You know what to do."

Zyperis nodded and Eimin swept out. Nen shrugged and shooed the boys out, mainly because it was her room they were congregating in and she wanted to bathe.

Shiroten turned to his brother. "Onii-san, there's something I want to give you before we go."

Zyperis blinked but followed Shiroten to his bedroom. Shiroten reached under his bed and pulled out a long cloth-wrapped package. Unwrapping it revealed an elegant sword which Shiroten handed over to his brother.

Zyperis drew out the sword in one smooth movement. The blade was long and straight, unlike the popular curved katanas, and the metal was solid black. Shiroten smiled at the awe in his brother's eyes.

"I made her from the shadows. The blade can cut through nearly anything. Once she acknowledges an owner, no other hand can wield her."

Zyperis made no movement.

"Her name is Yoru ano Otome."

"The Maiden of the Night."

Zyperis suddenly realized he'd spent the entire past five minutes studying the play of light off of the blade. He quickly sheathed it and started to hand it back to Shiroten, but Shiroten caught his hand and pushed the sword back to him.

"She's yours."

Zyperis watched him for a moment before tucking the amazing blade in his obi. Shiroten smiled and the two brothers headed out into the day. Automatically, Shiroten headed to Ji-Kan but Zyperis caught his arm.

"Leave that miserly beast here. Ride Hakai."

"But…" Shiroten blinked and looked over his shoulder. Hakai and Konton had both grown overnight to the size of large horses…or small dragons, whichever you prefer.

"How in the nine hells did you do that?"

"Technically, there are only seven, but how? That…is my little secret."

Shiroten laughed and Hakai came over to him, lowering on his front paws and offering the thick fur on the back of his neck to Shiroten. Once he was in place just in front of the wolf's shoulder blades, Shiroten glanced over to Zyperis, who had just mounted into Sainan's saddle.

"Can Hakai keep up with you and Sainan?"

Hakai growled lowly at this comment and took off towards the north, Shiroten yelping and barely clinging to his neck. Zyperis allowed a small smile to creep out before Sainan took wing and Konton followed Hakai.

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Keilantra stood at the door, pressed sharply into the small space that provided her with excellent cover from anyone in the halls. Her keen silver eyes would find anything that entered those halls, from the smallest mouse to the Fire Sages she kept an eye out for.

"Have you found it yet?"

The young adult male that Keilantra was addressing stopped his perusing through the ancient historical documents and glared at her through his longish-black bangs.

"No, okaa-san, I haven't found it yet."

Keilantra rolled her eyes and went back to watching the hallways.

"Well, hurry up, Tasuki."

Tasuki folded his arms across his chest and frowned. "Why don't you get Shyu to do this if you're in such a hurry?"

"Because Shyu was banished."

Tasuki gave his head a light shake to clear his bangs from his eyes and went back to searching. Keilantra risked another glance away from the hallways to watch his progress.

He may have appeared grown to anyone else, but he was still her little boy. Tall now, as tall as his father, he had her eyes and his father's blackish silver hair. The slight feminine figure came from them both. He was dressed in basic Fire Nation dougi and his hair was held back in a thin ponytail that fell down his back.

Tasuki, the Fire Mountain, the son of the Princess of the Night and a Ki-Lin.

"Got it."

"You do?"

Tasuki held up the scrolls that they'd risked coming here for. Keilantra smiled.

"Let's go."

Quickly, Tasuki and Keilantra sped quickly up the steps of the Fire Temple, through the halls, slipped past the guards and Sages, and out into the nearby marketplace. Behind a building, in the shadows, Tasuki quickly handed his mother the scrolls and smiled.

"Can I go now?"

She smiled as well. "I forgot how you don't like the cities. It was nice seeing you again."

Tasuki shrugged but Keilantra heard what he didn't say. The black crystal in her son's face lit up and in a moment he reappeared in his Ki-Lin form. She kissed his muzzle and he quickly trotted off, seeking the forests he made his home in, the magic of his blood making him invisible to mortal eyes.

Keilantra watched until he disappeared into the trees before she pulled the hood of her cloak over her head and vanished in a flurry of wind.

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The cave brightened considerably as the sun rose aboveground, and the light woke Katara after only a few minutes. She stood and walked to the edge of the ledge. Stretching, she was surprised to find a rope hanging from a sturdy outcrop of rock and leading down. Climbing down, Katara found herself on a stretch of rock surrounding the underground lake.

Surprisingly, the waterfall didn't seem terrifying and menacing today. Rather, it seemed peaceful, a soft roaring in the background as she had gotten used to it around midnight the night before.

She found Zuko sitting at the edge of the water, his legs folded and his hands resting on his knees. He was wearing the single crimson shirt he now owned, one that had been made especially at his request during their stay at the Northern Water Tribe. Other than that, his outfit still consisted of the black pants and boots he had taken to wearing. His hair had gotten long enough to be tied in a short ponytail at the point of his nape.

He didn't move as Katara sat down beside him, his eyes closed in meditation. She watched the water ripple with the flow of the waterfall for a moment before tucking her knees to her chest and resting her head on her knees, her arms encircling her legs.

"How can you meditate without a flame?"

Zuko cracked his good eye to look at her briefly before closing it again.

"The flame is just a point of concentration, an aid to meditation. It's not necessary."

Katara turned her head to the side so she could watch him comfortably.

"Meditation is supposed to help with concentration during battle." Zuko said, answering her unsaid question.

"I imagine a flame in my mind and feed all my emotions into it."

She raised an eyebrow and Zuko smiled slightly. "The bad ones anyway."

Katara laughed and Zuko continued.

"This leaves one with a clear mind. As Uncle kept telling me, this is essential to fire-bending."

Zuko's eyes opened and he rested his head against his hand for a moment, looking away from Katara.

"I never really listened to my Uncle. I never told him how much I appreciated him."

"Well, you can do that next time you see him."

Zuko sighed and his head hung. Katara was immediately at his side, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Zuko, what's wrong?"

"I'm worried about him, Katara. Azula was after us last time we were together, and she might have gotten to him."

Zuko's fists, newly formed, clutched the loose cloth of his hakama and his eyes snapped open, glowing ferally.

"I swear, if she's harmed Uncle then I will kill her, sister or no."

Katara laid her head on Zuko's shoulder.

"I'm sure your uncle is okay. Wasn't she just after you anyway? Maybe she left him alone when you separated."

"Maybe," Zuko said, almost hopefully, the anger melting from his voice. "Then again…I wish I could just see him, know he's okay."

"You know, I feel the same about my Gran-Gran."

Zuko immediately turned his head to look at the girl now leaning heavily on his shoulder. She rarely spoke about the Southern Water Tribe, as if it were a subject to painful for her.

"I mean, Gran-Gran was old and already a little sick when you…when we left. What if she's…?"

Zuko sighed. "It seems that this is the price of war."

Katara blinked. "What do you mean?"

"We're always going to be wondering what's happened to our loved ones while we are gone. We can win the war, but if there's no one to return to, what's the point?"

Katara nodded. "We have to win."

She stood sharply. "We have to win because if we don't, there won't be anything left! Now we can hope that those we loved are still fighting, but if we give up, then there will be no hope."

She offered her hand to Zuko and pulled him to his feet. Surprisingly, he grinned.

"You're so different when you get like this."

Without hesitation, Katara pulled him towards the waist-deep placid pool.

"Come on, let's spar!"

"As always?"

"As always! Tradition is one thing that must be upheld."

Ever since they'd landed at the North Pole, it had been a bit of a tradition for Zuko and Katara to wake up, go to the Oasis, and spar. At first it had felt like an intrusion on the Spirits, but then it had felt okay, as if they were watching and enjoying seeing their friendship grow.

Now Zuko and Katara quickly stripped to their underclothes and waded out into the pool, the water rippling around their waists as they each took a bending stance. The fight began with Katara making the first move, shaping the water to capture Zuko's wrists and prevent him from bending but the water hissed into steam as it touched his skin.

The fight was on.

Moving in the water was tough for them both but it was good training, toning and shaping their muscles as they pushed against the pull of the water.

Finally Katara just collapsed back into the water, letting her aching arms rest in the cool water. Zuko watched her for a minute as she floated with the flow of the water before diving under and following her as the current drew them both out into the center of the lake.

Katara opened her eyes to find Zuko calmly swimming near her. He looked so at home in the water that she had to comment.

"I remember when you were afraid of water."

He folded his arms over a passing log and rested his head on his hands.

"I still am."

She blinked and raised her head from the water. "What?"

He shrugged. "It's a natural instinct from the fire within me. Water can put out fire, so I'm afraid of it. I just know that I can handle myself in the water that helps me overcome my fear."

She smiled. "You know, I'm still afraid of fire. I've seen how it can destroy, but now I know that though uncontrolled it can be catastrophic, it is necessary for life."

"If it's kept well in hand. That's the first thing every fire-bender learns."

"And it's nice having a fire-bender nearby in case things get out of hand."

Zuko smiled. "I knew you just kept me around for my skills."

Katara turned and let her lower body fall underwater, resting her hands on Zuko's log and they continued to float downstream.

"What skills are you talking about?"

Zuko flicked up his chin with a mock arrogant air. "You cannot deny what I have done."

The arrogant tone disappeared. "I've saved you more times than you remember."

Katara smirked. "You haven't saved me as many times as you think you have. And I remember all of them. There was the time with the tigress…"

Zuko suddenly realized that the current had gotten incredibly swift.

"…the time when you got food…"

The log broke away beneath them but Katara paid it no mind.

"…the time when you saved the Northern Water Tribe…"

"Katara…"

"…the time during the raid…"

"Waterfall."

"Oh yes, the time with the waterfall…no wait, I saved you…"

"No! There's a waterfall!"

It seems that the underground cavern had room enough for two waterfalls in its vast labyrinth. Katara grabbed onto Zuko and sent a jet of water towards the waterfall, hoping to propel them back into safer water but the current behind them was too strong.

They were thrust forward as Katara lost control of the water. Zuko grabbed onto her, wrapping his arms around her waist and turned them in the water so that he could protect her with his body as they went cascading over the falls.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Above the surface, the animals of the gang walked, following the scents of their masters.

Mika and Nakara, both now about the same size, eyed each other warily around Appa's bulk. The great bison gave a low throat growl which caused the two to straighten immediately, facing forward.

Mika yawned and offered that they should merely wait until Aang summoned them with the whistle.

Nakara bared her teeth and quickly stated that their humans could be in need of their service and if they followed that plan, they would never be their in time.

Appa rose up and stomped his forefeet on the ground, bringing the discussion to an abrupt halt. Mika leapt to the saddle while the other three took to the air, Nakara giving Mika a haughty glare at the fact that she couldn't fly.

Nakara had forgotten about Zana, who was also curled up in Appa's saddle. The great bison found it very easy to carry the young tiger and the elk.

Mika just yawned.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

After many days of traveling and much less to eat, Yashamaru and Li finally entered Omashu, currently known as New Ozai to them. Dressed as the YuuYans they were, it wasn't hard to get a full course meal. They were only halfway through when a messenger interrupted them, bowing and handing a scroll to Yashamaru.

Yashamaru leaned back in his chair and slit the wax seal with his fingernail. Li looked up from his food.

"What is it?"

At least, that's what Yashamaru thought he said. It sounded more like 'whaffifift?"

"It happens to be orders from the Fire Lord."

Li swallowed. "Really?"

Yashamaru nodded. "And not our usual either. We're to escort King Bumi from New Ozai to Taiyoo, a Fire Nation stronghold just outside of Tasha, due to the fierce resistance from residents of the former Omashu."

Li nodded. "Okay. When are we supposed to leave?"

"Tonight."

Li choked on a bite of chicken and coughed. "Wh…what? We just got here!"

Yashamaru rolled up the scroll and tossed it at Li, hitting his forehead.

"Orders are orders."

Li rolled his eyes and started eating again. Yashamaru sighed.

"Well, you finish eating. I'm going to go pack."

Li nodded his agreement and Yashamaru stood and headed to the room that the governor of New Ozai had offered them. After carefully locking the door behind him, he slipped the quiver from his side and placed the arrows in a straight line on the bed.

Here lay his secret, his most valuable prize of information. The arrows weren't real arrows at all. They were made of earth, the lightest of sands mixed with the sturdiest of clays. This was how he had become a YuuYan archer, how he became the greatest assassin the Fire Nation had.

Yashamaru was an earth-bender spy. His real name was Arasoi.

Countless lives he had saved by hitting just to the side of the vital organs. He could also encrypt messages on the arrows. The plan was flawless.

He had been able to read the underlying message on the orders he and Li had received. He was to transport King Bumi to Tasha, not Taiyoo.

His eyes darkened. Getting this done without Li knowing would be hard, but he could do it for his country. And he could do it for Majinai.

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Sokka, Midori, and Aang woke slowly, long after Katara and Zuko had gone through their daily rituals.

Sokka sat up and stretched, Momo flying up and off of the ledge.

"Okay, Katara, what's for breakfast?"

Silence followed Sokka's inquiry. He opened his eyes and scratched his stomach, looking around the ledge.

"Katara?"

Aang rolled over, tucking his staff under his arm as he sat up.

"Where's Katara?"

"And Zuko?" Midori, now also awake, sat up holding only his shirt, having been using it for a pillow.

Aang's eyes narrowed and he air-bended himself down beside the lake. Momo floated to land on his shoulder.

"Look, there are their clothes."

Sokka knelt, looking at the ground. "Well, they spar every morning so they must have gone in the water and been pulled downstream by the current."

"Then we have to go after them!" Aang bit his tongue to keep back the rest of what he wanted to say.

Midori frowned at the water and then took a deep breath, bringing her arms up as she did so. She released the breath as she brought her arms down and forward, shifting her body in the direction the river ran. A sheet of ice appeared over the river, freezing the lake and second waterfall solid.

"Hurry!" she shouted, running out onto the ice. "It won't hold for long!"

Sokka and Aang quickly ran after her, their steps strangely sturdy on the ice.

Aang bended himself down to the bottom of the second waterfall when they reached it. Sokka grabbed Midori around the waist and leapt off the falls, using his boomerang to cut into the ice and slow their descent.

As Sokka and Midori landed, they could hear the breaking of the ice behind them, but they were still yards away from the edge of the lake.

"Grab on!" Aang shouted as he threw his glider forward.

Lifting all three of them into the air, the water that fell forward narrowly missed them as Aang flew them to the shore. Aang turned to Midori when they landed.

"I didn't know you were such a good water-bender."

Midori stood and smiled. "There was a master in Cascata where I lived. I studied under her for most of my life. I don't really have a natural talent for bending, but I work hard. Ziri…"

Midori stopped and looked down. Ziri had always been slightly upset at being a non-bender, adding it to the list of things that already put him out of place in their society. But Ziri wasn't a non-bender. He was a fire-bender. She shook her head, trying to clear the thoughts of worry and confusion from her mind.

Sokka looked at her pityingly, understanding how she felt to worry about a sibling.

"Come on, let's find Katara and Zuko."

"I'm going to scout ahead, see if I can spot them." Aang stated as he took the air again.

Sokka and Midori followed him on foot, running easily.

----------------------------------------

Zuko surfaced in the water, Katara having been pulled from his grasp. He struggled to remain above water as the swift current swept him further. The water was crystal clear, shadowed only by its own movement, and icy cold.

"Katara!"

When he received no answer, he dove into the rushing water, fighting to keep his eyes open as he searched the depths for a shock of blue that was his only friend.

He surged upward, breaking the surface for air, shaking water and his wet hair from his eyes as he searched for her, crying out her name again before diving again to find her.

His limbs were quickly becoming numb despite the constant movement, and he thought that if he was succumbing to the cold, Katara had to be in worse condition.

"Katara!"

---------------------

Sokka skidded to a stop and knelt with his ear close to the ground, listening carefully. Midori stopped and bent to catch her breath and then turned.

"What is it, Sokka?"

Aang landed a few feet in front of them. "Did either of you hear that?"

Midori looked at him strangely. "Hear wha…" she trailed off.

Echoing through the cave, this time they all heard it.

"_Katara!" _

Sokka straightened quickly, drawing his boomerang and pointing forward.

"They're not far!"

Aang turned, twisting his glider. "I'll try to see them!"

With that, he took to the air again and flew ahead. Sokka and Midori ran just behind him, their eyes and ears open.

Katara was dreaming. She was surrounded by her element, and her element was calling her, wanting to make her a part of it, and she wanted to go with it. It moved around her, calling to her, and she smiled as she bended it to her.

Then something tugged at her, a fiery presence. She wanted to go to it too. The water tugged at her and she started to give in. It was her water, after all, her element. It would never hurt her.

That presence again, someone…calling her name. Pulling at her, pulling…pulling…pulling…Someone….

Zuko.

Katara snapped to and fought against the water that dragged her down. With the last of her strength, she bended herself to the surface. With the last of her breath, she screamed one word.

"ZUKO!"

Zuko spun around, seeing Katara struggling to maintain the surface. She was gasping for air and trembling. He quickly swam with the current to get to her.

"Katara! Are you all right?"

"Do I look all right?"

Zuko chose not to answer, pulling her shivering form into his arms. At this moment, he took the time to look around them. The tunnel they were cascading down was getting smaller, but the water was speeding up, which meant it had to be going somewhere, and Zuko really didn't want to find out.

"Hold on!" he shouted to Katara and she wrapped her arms around his neck and as an extra precaution, her legs around his waist.

When he felt sure Katara was secure, Zuko let go of her and tried to grab on to rocks as they passed them. After several tries, he succeeded. Placing Katara between himself and the rock, he protected her as best he could from debris in the water.

He lost track of time, only feeling the strain on his arms on the slippery rock and the icy cold of the water. Katara held on to him as if her life depended on it, as it very well may have.

As if in slow motion, just as his eyes were closing in exhaustion, he saw a blue boomerang with a rope attached gliding through the air in a curve around them. He saw his hand reaching out for the rope as if it was not his own, saw himself grasp the rope and at the same time release the rock that held them both.

Then time sped up.

Sokka grabbed his boomerang as it snapped back to him, wrapping the rope around his forearms, Midori grabbing the rope beside him. Aang bended the water around the two towards the shore, making it easier for Sokka and Midori to pull them up.

Zuko felt the rough stone beneath them, Katara wrapped in his arms, as they were pulled up on the shore. Warm hands on his shoulders and then he surrendered to the cold exhaustion consuming him.

Sokka pulled the two up and Zuko, though unconscious, instantly tightened his grasp on Katara. Aang's eyes narrowed in hate.

"I'll start a fire."

Neither Sokka nor Midori responded the air-bender and he went closer to the wall and dug out some materials to start a fire with.

Midori knelt by Zuko, her hand coming to rest on his shoulder.

"They're both frozen. The water must have been icy."

Sokka gently pulled at Zuko's hands, clasped behind Katara's back.

"You're safe now. You can let go."

Zuko's brow furrowed. Sokka repeated his mantra and slowly, Zuko let go of Katara. The young water-bender almost instantly reached out for him but Sokka and Midori had already pulled them apart and towards the fire. Out of the bag came their clothes and some spare blankets which the two quickly wrapped them in.

Aang tried not to look at Katara, her arms still reaching out for Zuko.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Admiral Min strolled through the halls of the Fire Palace until he reached the Fire Lord's study. He tapped lightly on the door and entered when it opened of its own accord.

The Fire Lord, instead of being busy at work, was staring into the roaring flames in the fireplace, one hand resting lightly on the mantle.

"My lord?"

The Fire Lord sighed. "Hello, Min."

"Events have been stressful of late, haven't they?"

Ozai nodded. "When I fought Zuko…I was so sure that it wasn't him. But then…I was informed last night that he confessed to pretending. I don't know what to think. Ruling this country just became twenty times harder. There are Air Nomad survivors in the Achlys Mountains and the Earth Kingdom rebels are getting harder to repress."

"They are filled with hope since the Avatar has returned."

Ozai's eyes narrowed. "That hope won't last long. I sent the greatest fighter in my army against the Avatar…and the second best to the Achyls Mountains."

Min smiled softly. "It pleases me to hear you speak so highly of my son. To think him second only to your daughter."

Ozai turned to face his admiral. "Min, my daughter will be seventeen in a few months. She will be old enough to be married. Yet, I will choose only the best for her."

"Of course, sire."

"And Peris is the best."

Min took a step back. "My…my lord, you do us great honor."

Ozai stood up a little straighter. "Your family is the greatest. You need no condolences from me. I would choose no other for my daughter."

Min bowed low and Ozai turned his gaze to the rising sun.

"Now, what did you come to tell me."

"Lord Iroh has arrived. He is now in the harbor."

Ozai's gaze narrowed. "He is not to be informed that Zuko is here. Make sure everyone knows that a breach of this will constitute the most severe punishment I can imagine."

"Might I ask why, sire?"

Ozai never wavered. "I need Iroh, if only for a little while. I won't let anything come between me and what I want. And I want the world."

Min smiled. "And I am here to see that you get it."

---------------------------------------------

Iroh and Lieutenant Jee entered the Fire Nation palace without so much as a flicker in the capital's daily life. Yet, in truth, the last thing Iroh expected was a personal greeting from his brother.

"Welcome home, brother."

Iroh turned to see Ozai standing at the edge of the room, skirted by an admiral whom the Dragon of the West could have sworn he'd seen before.

Ozai looked around the room. "Where is Prince Zuko?"

Iroh had to make an effort not to sigh. "Prince Zuko and I were separated. In truth, I don't know where he is."

"That is unfortunate."

Iroh could've sworn he saw the admiral behind Ozai smile. Ozai did smile.

"Well, you know the frustrations of ruling a country. I must leave you now, but Admiral Min will give you the details of your mission and then you can settle in. See how things have changed since you left."

Iroh eyed his brother as the Fire Lord swept out towards the war chambers.

"Things haven't changed that much from what I can see."

The admiral, Min, chuckled lightly. He then motioned to Iroh.

"If you'll come with me, I'll show you our plans."

Jee gave a short bow to Iroh. "If I may take my leave?"

Iroh nodded. "Go and see your family. It's been three years."

Jee bowed again and turned. Before he had completely walked out of the palace, Iroh turned and followed Min further into the palace. Then Jee turned just as he reached the door, glanced around to make sure no one was watching and then headed down a nearly hidden stairwell.

He had a hunch.

----------------------------------------------------------

Haru thundered down the path on the elk his father had given him, his roll of supplies tied behind the saddle and his canteen hanging at his side. He didn't know how or even what he was up against, but he wouldn't let Shasa go through whatever it was alone.

All of a sudden, the elk he rode started acting up, slowing to a stop, crying out and raising up on his hind legs. By the time Haru had regained his seat and began to try calming the beast down, the reason for his antics appeared.

It was an enormous wolf.

The elk threw him and bolted, Haru landing hard on the ground several feet away. He pushed himself into a sitting position when he was startled for the second time that day by an Earth Kingdom man appearing from seemingly nowhere and kneeling beside him.

"Are you all right?"

Haru nodded. "I think so."

He looked around for the wolf but didn't see it.

"Did you see it? Where did that wolf go?"

The man smiled sheepishly and looked down. "Um…you see…"

Haru's eyes narrowed and he managed to put two and two together.

"Are you Mamoru, the Earth God?"

Mamoru blinked. "What brings you to that conclusion?"

Haru shrugged. "Well, I saved the Goddess Shasa the other day and now she's…"

Mamoru grabbed his wrists and pulled him up. "Shasa? Quick, tell me everything."

With only a moment's hesitation, Haru related the whole story to him. Once he had finished, Mamoru jabbed a fist into his palm, scowling deeply.

"That bastard, Eimin. What does he want Shasa for? It seems he's gathering all the goddesses. And Samir…"

He began walking the path at a fast pace at which Haru nearly had to jog to keep up.

"Wait a second. Who's Eimin?"

Mamoru looked at him and shrugged. "He's like the God of Death. Alem, the father…"

"I know."

"Well, Alem Sealed him over 500 years ago but he got out somehow. Alem himself is still Sealed and there is little to no chance of getting him out."

"And Alem is the only one who can take Eimin."

Mamoru sighed. "Short of the Prophesied Four, yes."

Haru stopped short. "All right. You lost me there."

Mamoru also halted and transformed back into a wolf, much to Haru's surprise.

"Get on my back. We must reach the ocean before nightfall and I will explain on the way."

Haru climbed up on the wolf's back and pointed south. "That's the direction that…erm…Shiroten took Shasa."

Mamoru turned and looked. "That's close to where I can feel Kaia, so that is the direction we will go."

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Zuko woke slowly, his gaze gradually coming to focus in on something azure above him. The blur of deep blue cleared to a smiling face with sapphire eyes.

"Good morning, sleepy."

Zuko blinked and then gave a very slight smile. He sat up very carefully so as not to disturb his lovely pillow. She laughed at his easy grace and he looked at her over his shoulder.

Katara was in a very good mood this morning. She couldn't say as to why, or how, but she was. The camp itself was a very busy place. Sometime while she and Zuko had been unconscious, the others had found a way out of the cave. The sun was brightly shining through the trees, reflective of her mood.

Aang seemed to be happier than he was of late; running around and playing with Momo, he sent her a genuine smile. Sokka was whacking at something with his machete with a determined look on his face.

Zuko smiled slightly as his gaze fell on the struggling Water Tribesman and he stood, walking over and carefully demonstrating the proper stance and arm movements. Sokka watched his demonstration with the eager eyes of a student and soon the two boys were engrossed in weaponry.

Katara moved to sit near Midori, who was happily making the breakfast. For a time, Katara even felt that she could forget the war.

The happy group didn't know they were being watched.

-------------------------------------------------------------

It had taken them a great deal of fast pace tracking to reach the group, especially when it seemed that the Avatar had simply disappeared. Azula couldn't help but feel obliged to the young Earth Kingdom rebel, as it had been he who discovered that the group had disappeared underground.

She had, at first, wanted him to stay behind when they made their attack. With only Mei and Ty Lee, she was sure that she could capture the Avatar with ease, but after that intuitive insight, she knew he could help.

Of course, he was rather cute though arrogant, and strong but overconfident, and wild but tame, and…

_Dear Agni! I'm falling for him!_

Azula clamped down on the thought, immediately destroying it as if it were a particularly vile doll.

The said Earth Kingdom rebel was crouched in the brush with the three teenage girls, viewing the scene before them with ease. Suddenly, Jet's eyes narrowed and he glared forward.

Ty Lee turned her head, taking notice of the tension in Azula's new toy.

"What is it, Jet?"

"Where's Sokka?"

Instantly, the other three tensed for an incoming attack.

---------------------------------------------------------

Zuko headed over to the other side of the clearing to fetch his new broadswords. Katara walked over to him.

"Zuko,"

He glanced her way to show he was listening.

"When have you been training?"

Zuko accidentally dropped a scroll he was holding on his foot but ignored the pain.

"Erm…what?"

Katara frowned. "I know you've been training some time other than our…"

She stopped mid-sentence as Zuko covered her mouth with his hand. Seeing this gesture, the other three immediately froze, Nakara and Mika the only ones moving.

A bolt of blue lightning flew out of the trees and headed straight for Katara and filling golden eyes. But Zuko was one step ahead.

He caught the lightning as his uncle had taught him to do with an elegant spin and as he came through the full circle, he brought his other arm around in a sweeping motion, sending the lightning right back where it had come from.

Azula's elite squad flew from the trees to avoid the lightning, each landing with a practiced flair.

Katara gasped from her place behind Zuko. "Jet?"

Jet winked at her. "Hello Katara."

Azula tried desperately to ignore the flirting hint in his voice. Instead, she let her gaze narrow on Zuko. She grinned.

"So…you are a traitor."

Zuko did nothing, said nothing, only fell into a bending stance and watched her.

Sokka ran forward with a cry and the battle ensued, Aang, Sokka, and Midori against Mei and Ty Lee, Zuko against Azula, and Katara against Jet.

Jet was thankful for all those sparring practices with Azula, for they put him in top shape; Just as good, for Katara had only gotten better. If only he could get close enough…

The battleground the five had chosen was a blur of knives, air blasts, water whips, and pink.

Zuko and Azula had moved away from the main battle, mirroring each others' movements, their gaze never leaving the other.

Azula moved first, sending a quick blast of lightning at her brother, which he easily avoided and took her moment of inattention to move into a much closer range.

_He's fast!_

Her previous conceptions of Zuko vanished in a thick wave of white-tinged flame through which he burst, flaming daggers at his side as he moved into hand-to-hand combat. She could barely keep up.

Something no one had ever noticed was that while Azula was a fire-bending prodigy, Zuko was a taijutsu prodigy. Azula had often only beaten him because he could not control his emotions. It was this also that had allowed her to destroy him in fire-bending.

Zuko had gotten past that. He had learned what held him back. He had destroyed it within himself.

There had never been a fiercer battle as that which transpired between the Fire Siblings that day. It was an informal Agni Kai but an Agni Kai without question.

It was a burst of luck that allowed Jet to send Katara flying backwards into her brother, which in turn actually saved his life from a knife of Mei's. He turned just in time to see a fire blast of Zuko's send Azula soaring.

She rolled as she hit the ground until she stopped, allowing her to push herself up onto her palms. Jet rushed to her side, unable to stop him-self. Zuko would have finished them both right then if Sokka hadn't rushed over and grabbed his arm, dragging him to where the others mounted onto Appa and took flight.

Zuko gave no word of protest as the bison gained height. His mouth hung open as he fought for breath, adrenaline and his inner fire stealing the oxygen from his blood, which boiled with unreleased power. He sat at the back of the saddle, leaning over, watching for any fire blasts or lightning.

Katara healed a knife wound on Midori and Sokka gripped the handle of his machete hard enough to turn his knuckles white.

"I can't believe Jet would help the Fire Nation." He spat. "The way he talked…"

Katara sighed. "I don't think Jet even knows what he wants."

Jet didn't hesitate. He knew what he had to do. He had to bring them down. He had to. She would never forgive him if he didn't.

His hands flew to arc around the amulet that hung above his heart and almost instantly the winds began to swirl, hungrily feeding off of his anger.

Appa struggled to remain aloft as the winds whipped at him. Aang tried to still the winds but they ignored him, answering to a higher power now. No mere mortal could control them, no, not now.

A silver light engulfed Jet, paling his skin and silver lines formed around his wrists and eyes, like kanji half-drawn.

Zuko felt the same presence that had given him such strength at the Northern Water Tribe rising up within him. While the others struggled to remain in the saddle, he stood and leapt cleanly from Appa's back, disappearing into the timber below.

Katara was the first to notice he was gone but Sokka wouldn't let her go long enough to look where he had fallen.

Zuko landed in a clean crouch, having slowed his fall with the branches of the trees. When he looked up, his eyes were filled with red.

Azula pushed herself up. She felt the fire coming before she saw it, but it wasn't _quite_ fire.

Then she saw it. It was lightning, pure white, stronger and fiercer than anything she had ever even heard of being produced except by Agni himself. And it was heading straight for Jet.

She never hesitated and both Mei and Ty Lee gasped, unable to comprehend what she was doing.

In that moment, the person who Azula was shattered and she became someone else, if only slightly different. Perhaps that change was what would save her.

She reached up and pushed Jet out of the line of the fire, the silver light fading from him as she landed on top of him, the lightning exploding behind them.

Mei and Ty Lee rushed forward to pursue their quarry.

The group returned, rejoined by Zuko, and then headed onwards, soon losing their captors. By nightfall, they had reached Tasha and one chapter of their lives ended and another began.

-------------------------------------------------------------

The two stared at each other for the longest time, neither moving, neither wanting to move. Earth and Fire, not the world's most repulsing opposites, but strong enough for there to be a moment of hesitation, but it was only a moment.

The Fire Princess Azula always got what she wanted, even if she had to ask.

Auburn eyes met amber and there was reluctance in neither gaze.

"Kiss me Jet," she paused. "Please?"

That was enough of a question for him. His arms wrapped around her waist as he raised his head and pressed his lips to hers.

She didn't care that she got dirty rolling around on the ground with an Earth Kingdom rebel.

He didn't care that her nation had killed his parents.

Two torn souls found peace within each other.


	24. Sleep Tonight

**Pre-AN#1: I cannot wait until Arc 2 of Prophesied. I wonder if everybody is as excited as I am. looks around Nah, you just want me to update. S'okay. A little shorter than usual but that's okay too!**

* * *

"_Stand my ground, I won't give in_

_No more denying_

_I've got to face it_

_Won't close my eyes_

_And hide the truth inside_

_If I don't make it, someone else will_

_Stand my ground…"_

_--Within Temptation, "Stand My Ground"_

**

* * *

**

Chapter 24: Yoru Neru (Sleep Tonight)

_They sprung forward, all of it instinct, and nothing surprised her more to see _HIM _there. This wasn't how she wanted to meet him. No, this was wrong. What could she do? What could she say?_

"_So…you are a traitor." _

NO! That wasn't what I wanted to say! _She screamed in her head, but the moment had passed. Her opportunity was gone. Never more…never again…_

Azula woke as calm and collected to the outside world, but inside her heart churned against the walls of her chest, screaming its woe to all who could hear. She stood and dressed in a light training outfit and without bothering to tie up her hair, headed out onto the deck to train.

She pushed herself, bending until she had to force the fire to bleed from her limbs, exertion wiping away pain from her body, or so she thought. She also thought she was alone but she felt someone's eyes upon her and she spun around, her hair dancing lightly around her.

"Jet!" She whispered.

"What are you doing?" He inquired.

"I am training, what does it look like I'm doing?" she cried defensively.

Jet however did not appear discouraged. "I mean…why are you crying?"

Azula raised a trembling hand to her cheek and when it came away wet, she was all too happy to fall into Jet's waiting arms.

She just lay there, surrounded by this circle of protection, unwilling to reveal everything that tore at her.

"Tell me, 'Zula." Jet urged.

She sighed, her hands wrapped around his neck. "I…I am tired of what this war has made of me."

She raised her head, almost desperate for him to understand.

"I wasn't always cold and harsh. My brother and I used to get along and we understood that we had to stick together because our father wanted us to fight, to become stronger. We…I promised that I'd stand by him."

"And you didn't." Jet finished. Azula nodded into his chest.

"Now, even when I want to say I'm sorry, to say a kind word to him, I can't."

He kissed the top of her head lightly. While he felt her pain, he felt a strange sort of pride that he was the only one who saw this side of his princess.

"Then…I guess we'll have to change that.

* * *

They floated softly in the air, Tasha glowing against the night sky, only a little ways away. The five of them were mostly silent with anger, all except for Zuko who was tense from exhaustion.

Zuko was too caught up in his own thoughts, for the first time since the island a wild anger filled him that he couldn't release, and his thoughts only fueled it.

Aang sighed. "I can't stand this."

Anger filled his voice. "All I'm trying to do is protect everyone and all these people keep trying to stop me."

The winds trembled with his anger and Sokka joined him.

"I know! Why does everybody want to ruin the world?"

Midori said nothing, thinking of her brother. Katara turned to Zuko.

"What do you think, Zuko?"

"I think…" he paused, pushing the anger he felt deep within him, ignoring it for now. "I think that things are much more complicated than they appear."

Before the conversation got any more awkward, Midori announced that they had reached Tasha.

Below them, the people of Tasha had noticed them as well. Cries went up all over the city as Appa glided in. Those on board forgot the topic at hand, all except for Zuko, who only harbored his anger for later.

* * *

The city was filled with rising towers made of the strongest earths and upon one of the many balconies was a couple. The man, tall and the epitome of an earth-bender, stood behind the girl, a hand on her shoulder.

"The Avatar?" The girl said calmly. "This could be interesting."

The man's eyes narrowed. "Remember your place, Mitsu."

She waved a hand. "Don't worry, Hoshi."

* * *

Deeper within the city, at their version of a palace, a messenger ran up to a man of clear high rank.

"Lord Mako, the Avatar has arrived on the outskirts of the city."

The lord nodded and after a moment headed out of the Great Hall to greet this symbol of hope.

* * *

Appa found a clear place to land and they were immediately greeted by a crowd of people.

Aang air-bended from Appa's head and waved to the crowd while Sokka and Katara climbed down with the ease of having done so often, Zuko held Midori's hand as they slowly climbed down Appa's tail.

A man stepped forth from the crowd, dressed in long green and gold robes and held his arms out in a welcoming gesture.

"Welcome, Avatar and companions, to the Earth Kingdom city of Tasha. I am Lord Mako, governor of Tasha."

Aang grinned. "Hi, Lord Mako! I'm Aang, and this is Sokka and Katara."

He pointed to each one in turn and the two siblings acknowledged this with a wave.

Behind them, Midori stepped wrong and fell forward into Zuko, who just barely missed losing his balance but maintained and stepped smoothly onto the ground while carrying Midori.

Katara smiled as the two came over, Aang laughed. "And this is Midori and Zuko."

The young girl from the Southern Water Tribe couldn't help but think back to all that had happened since she had left her home.

The same prince that had attacked her home seeking his own salvation moved to stand beside her as he had become accustomed to doing so, the broadswords Arnook had given him strapped over his shoulder. His skin tone had gotten darker due the sun and he was dressed in a borrowed blue tunic.

If she didn't know better, she would think he was Water Tribe.

The lord of the city bowed. "You and your companions could not have come at a better time. We may have need of your military assistance."

Zuko stepped forward. "While _we_ would have no objections to helping you, Aang is here to learn earth-bending."

A soldier muscled his way forward from the crowd.

"And who are you to speak so to our gracious lord?"

Zuko glared at the soldier and for a moment Katara though the heat of the battle hadn't left him, but then he backed down.

"It is custom for the host to introduce themselves first."

The soldier smirked. Katara gasped as she realized Zuko had read his high rank in a heartbeat, but then again, Zuko had been born noble.

"I am Hoshi, military commander under Lord Mako."

Zuko raised his head to meet Hoshi's gaze. "I am Suiro, a Royal Guard from the Northern Water Tribe sent to ensure the Avatar's safety on his journey."

Everyone he'd come with stared at him like he'd lost what was left of his mind. Hoshi smirked.

"Water Tribesmen don't have yellow eyes. Wolves have yellow eyes."

Zuko tilted his head. "My mother was Earth Kingdom."

Hoshi opened his mouth again but Lord Mako raised a hand.

"Leave him be. His weapons bear the symbol of our ally, Arnook. Be still, Hoshi."

Hoshi gritted his teeth but backed away.

Mako and Zuko's gaze met for a moment then the great lord bowed.

"I will show you to rooms in my home. You may rest and tomorrow, you may seek a teacher."

They nodded and followed Lord Mako further into the city.

* * *

The night was sound in these mountains where the sun rarely rose. He closed his eyes, trying to drown out the roar in his ears, the want, the need that he'd fought with for years. This body he was in was only nineteen years old, but he'd lived for centuries, traveling back and forth between Origin and Aye. He knew he was stronger than his father, but he had obeyed every order.

Until White Heaven.

He was a demon, ripping down the angel and making him what he wanted, he hated it.

Golden eyes stared at nothing until a tiny sleep-filled sigh brought him back to reality. He turned, those hateful eyes softening as they viewed the dark-haired beauty lying in the bed.

Somehow in this nightmare between dimensions, he'd learned the truth of that want. He wanted someone to love, someone to protect.

And White Heaven was that something.

Darkness surrounded them.

* * *

The night deepened and Zuko couldn't sleep. Aang was pretending to sleep, Katara and Midori were bathing in the other room, and Sokka was snoring loudly.

The young fire-bender stood by the window, arms crossed, staring out.

The Avatar's breath steadied out and he slept. Zuko gave no visible sign of acknowledgement when Midori and Katara came in dressed in silk green gowns for sleeping. Midori immediately curled up and slept on her pallet. Katara, however, spotted him and walked over.

"The wind is cold."

Zuko nodded. Katara worked his arms apart and inserted herself within them. He hesitated a moment before wrapping his arms around her though his gaze never averted.

"What are you looking at?"

Zuko shook his head. "Nothing, really."

He then let her go and gave her a gentle push in the direction of the beds.

"Go get in bed before you freeze."

Katara obeyed and then looked back at him. "You, too."

"I will in a minute."

Katara was so pleased to be in a real bed after so long that she was asleep in seconds despite her intentions to wait until Zuko also slept.

* * *

The moon had risen high. She had been lucky and none of the ice wolves had survived the fall. However, she was trapped in a bed of thorns that had made their home at the bottom of the ravine.

The moon was in its waning crescent and the light was the least it could be. The thorns did nothing for her already torn body but she pushed and tried to break herself free. Her legs were sore from the position she'd fallen in but from what she could tell, nothing was broken.

Flashes of light caught her attention and her head snapped around. When she saw the cause, she shrank back among the thorns, hoping the darkness would hide her.

It was a human, a male at that.

He was tall, his hair dark and his eyes bright. He moved lithely, creating fire like her ancestors had done.

The dance of fire became tighter and more intricate. The bender even closed his eyes as he moved, feeling the flames with his heart rather than seeing them with his eyes.

A spasm of pain ripped through her and she longed to call out to the fire-bender, but she couldn't…she couldn't!

The pain grew and she couldn't help but let out a small whimper.

Instantly the lights froze and faded away. She could no longer see the bender but his stance was wary, prepared. He had heard her. She didn't know whether to be relieved or afraid.

Shivering, she drew further back into the thorns, not caring where they pricked her.

The stone she lay upon reverberated with each of his footsteps, each slow and measured.

The minutes dragged out and suddenly he stepped into a beam of light, so close…so CLOSE!

She screamed in terror and jerked back so suddenly that her whole body exploded in pain and she collapsed.

* * *

Ziri stared at the single beam of light that shuttered through the bars to his cell. He'd been moved since the announcement to a place with less security and his meals were better. He'd started eating again but most of his time was filled with thinking.

And his dreams were filled of people he didn't know.

Sometimes there was a woman with black hair and blue eyes who walked before him and smiled.

Other times there was a silver-haired man.

But the most frequent was a dream of a silver dragon, screaming his defiance, and himself raising a sword, the blade made of pure light, far above his head.

The door opened and shut, admitting a soldier he'd never seen before, who immediately fell to his knees and touched his forehead to the floor.

"Prince Zuko, if I had known this would happen, I would have never said those things to you the night of the storm."

Ziri blinked. It was something else he knew nothing about. Who was this guy anyway?

"All is forgiven." He said and turned back to the wall.

"I knew it."

Ziri sighed and turned again. "Knew what?"

"You're not Prince Zuko."

Ziri's jaw dropped in surprise. The man smiled.

"Prince Zuko would never have forgiven me for what I said."

Ziri couldn't help but smile.

The man bowed. "My name is Jee and I was a lieutenant on the prince's ship. I am going to help you get out of here."

* * *

He was becoming an excellent fighter, Jun admitted to herself. He learned things so quickly that she honestly wondered where he had come from.

The sharp sting across her shoulder of a well-thrown knife brought her back to reality.

"How is it there in that little world of yours?" Rou inquired with that beautiful smile of his.

She smiled. "A little humid."

She held open her arms and Rou rushed into them, happy to be close to her.

Jun had undergone so many changes since she found this little angel. Her new outfit hid most of her tattoos, as if she wanted to hide her past from her innocent ward. At his request, she pulled her hair back away from her face.

Shirshu was as lively as ever and behaved even better than usual when Rou was on his back.

They ate supper late and as they sat around the fire, Jun looked across its light to Rou.

"So, where would you like to go next?"

Since the Ki-Lin had danced, they had wandered aimlessly from town to town, stopping only to get supplies.

Rou ate for a moment and then glanced up at the moon.

"What's the Earth Kingdom capital?"

"Ba-Sing-Se."

"Then let's go there."

Jun tilted her head. "Why?"

Rou shrugged. "I have this insatiable urge to help these people, like it's my duty."

Jun titled her head, looking off into the trees.

"That's a long way. It might take a while."

* * *

It happened fast, so fast that Shiroten never really had time to think about it.

It began with a whisper in his ear.

"Do you trust me?"

He had answered in the affirmative. It had been true, still was. Nothing had happened after that simple question, the inquirer simply walking away, but it had left him with a strange feeling in his gut, something he'd never felt before.

* * *

Katara woke in the middle of the night and looked across the room to where Zuko lay sleeping. Maybe tonight she'd have the courage.

Silently she padded across the room and stopped just beside his bed. She bended the water from her bedside and let it cover her hand. Slowly, the blue glow of healing filled the dark room.

Zuko was turned away from her, the scar that marred his perfect skin glaring up at her.

This time she would do it…she was sure she would! Slowly, she placed her glowing hand over the scar.

The water sank into his skin and for a moment, Katara was sure that it had worked, that all of the nights she had woken up and not had the nerve to place her hand over his eye was worth it.

Then the water melted away without a change to his skin.

Slowly one tear fell and then they fell without hesitancy. Unable to hold them back, Katara covered her face with her hands and sobbed until she felt warm arms encircling her.

"I was so sure…so sure that I could heal it."

"And with it heal the pain?"

She nodded into his chest.

Zuko tilted her chin up so she could look into his eyes.

"You can't fix what's already healed."

* * *

Before the sun rose, she slowly opened her eyes, hoping the male human was gone.

He wasn't, but several other things had changed.

She was free from the thorns, her wings had been bandages, and there was a makeshift tent over her.

"You're awake now."

Her head shot up at the sound, causing a wave of dizziness to rush over her. Then she felt his hand on her head, steadying her.

"Sh, slowly now. Don't move too fast."

"Get away from me, human!" she screeched, trying to gather her feet beneath her, but only succeeding in flopping back down.

He tilted his head and looked down at her and she knew she must look awful.

"I'm trying to help you."

She was trembling but didn't move.

He moved closer, now carrying a bowl.

"Now I don't have to move you."

He pressed a cloth to the cuts on her belly from the thorns and it felt strangely soothing. After a few moments of silence he began to hum a song she could've sworn she knew.

Perhaps…perhaps he _could_ help her.

* * *

The sun rose quickly and when Katara woke the boys were gone. She and Midori headed outside together and a servant told them that their men were at the training courtyard. With a little more help, they found it.

Zuko and Sokka were sitting on the side while Aang worked with the other earth-benders. Zuko's gaze was dark while Sokka held his mouth in a thin line, trying not to say a word.

One look told Katara everything she needed to know.

Aang was training with the soldier Hoshi and it appeared that he was taking out the embarrassment he received the day before out on Aang. Again and again Aang was forced to retreat against the dangerous onslaught of earth.

"He's not training him," Zuko spat. "He's trying to kill him."

A particularly violent blast sent Aang spiraling off his feet but before Zuko could leap to his feet, someone else did.

"I believe Avatar Aang has trained enough today, Hoshi," Lord Mako said.

Hoshi bowed and left the courtyard while everyone else continued. Sokka and Katara ran to Aang who was picking himself up. Mako went to Zuko's side, the latter of whom was restraining himself from going after Hoshi.

"Lord Mako, tell me this is not how you train your benders."

"No, it is not. Hoshi is an extremist and he is strained by the near-constant attacks on our beloved city by the Fire Nation from their encampment nearby, Taiyo."

Zuko's gaze narrowed. "That is why you requested our help."

Mako nodded. "If you will, I will personally supervise Aang's training, please help our soldiers."

"I cannot pledge for my companions, but I can do so for myself. I will help you, Lord Mako."

"Thank you, Prince Zuko."

Zuko gasped and stared at up the governor who smiled.

"Don't worry. No one will hear it from me."

* * *

The group met back in their rooms for supper and a young woman decided to join them uninvited. She said her name was Mitsu.

"It's so amazing that you've been so many places!" She said, giggling.

Katara was sending the girl so many glares that Zuko almost found it funny. Midori was doing a great job of ignoring her. Aang even preferred to slip closer to Zuko to get away from her. Sokka was flirting.

"Yeah, when you get around like we do, protecting the Avatar and all that…"

Zuko grabbed Sokka's ear and in the process of dragging him out of the room, growled.

"The only one who needs protection is you…"

Katara quickly stood.

"I'm going with them."

Aang was left alone with Midori and Mitsu.

Exactly what Mitsu wanted.

"Why don't we all go out onto the balcony?"

Aang and Midori looked at each other and shrugged, not seeing anything wrong with following Mitsu out onto the balcony.

* * *

Zuko, Katara, and Sokka were standing a little ways down the hall, Zuko's mind not quite on the lecture Katara was giving her brother. He turned his head slightly, staring back down the hall towards their room with his good eye.

Something was wrong.

He walked past the arguing siblings and down the stairs, out to the courtyard. Later he would remember walking past Hoshi and the soldier giving him a small smile.

* * *

Azula and Jet were walking side by side towards their tent in the middle of Taiyo when Ty Lee came running up, dragging a Fire Nation soldier behind her.

"Azula! Look who I found at the training ring!"

Azula's heart stopped.

"P-P-Peris!"

He was just as cool and collected as she remembered, not a single hair out of place.

"Good evening, Princess Azula," he replied to her less-than-formal greeting.

She made a show of brushing off her clothes and fixing her hair while Jet watched out of the corner of his eye.

"Um…what brings you here, Captain Peris? I thought you were stationed in the Achlys Mountains."

"It's 'general' now, Princess, as I am sure you are well aware of."

She was.

"And with Sainan, it is much easier for me to travel."

She knew that, too.

"Fire Lord Ozai requested that I observe the military forces in this sector. He believes that this fortress, Tasha, should have been taken long ago."

His gaze never left hers and Azula found herself fumbling for Jet and the support he offered. When had Peris gotten taller than her?

"But of course, now that you are here, I'm sure the acquisition of Tasha will go much more smoothly."

Azula blushed and found herself speechless. Couldn't he look somewhere else?

Peris never moved but stayed in that military erect position. She recalled he had not looked at all ruffled when Ty Lee came dragging him up.

"It appears that my presence here has startled you, Princess. I shall take my leave. I'm sure that we will meet again before my stay here is done."

He bowed to Azula, let his gaze drift over Jet, and nodded to Ty Lee.

"Bye, Peris!" Ty Lee shouted, waving enthusiastically as he walked away.

"Who was that?" Jet inquired, still glaring at Peris' back.

"Oh, just some soldier."

Jet tilted his head at Azula. "Just some soldier? You don't get so flustered with just some soldier."

Ty Lee tittered. "We grew up with Peris in the palace. Azula used to have crush on him!"

"Did not!" the dignified princess shouted.

Mai stepped up from where she'd been hiding.

"Yeah, she did."

Jet shrugged. "Oh well."

Azula let out a sigh of relief. "Despite what Peris said, I hope we don't meet again. He's too…cool."

Just then a group of Fire Nation noblewomen walked by and noticed Azula.

"Congratulations, Princess!"

"For what?" Azula still hadn't gathered her usual calm from where Peris had left it shattered.

The women tittered. "For your engagement, of course!"

"Engagement? To whom?" Azula continued.

The women laughed again. "To General Peris."

"Oh, he's so fine!"

"What a catch!"

The women headed on but Azula felt like her stomach had just hit the ground.

Birds took flight as Azula screeched.

"_I'M ENGAGED TO PERIS!?!"_

* * *

Shiroten stared at the side wall while Zyperis went over different paperwork as pertained to his duties and reports.

"Why do you do all that?"

"One must maintain appearances even if the part they play is just an act."

He signed the last paper and heaved a great sigh, lowering his defenses in the presence of his brother.

"That is the last one. It is late. Perhaps you should retire."

Shiroten looked at him. "I go to bed when you do, Zippy."

Zyperis flinched at the nickname but ignored it, preferring to stand and de-clothe himself of the annoying and cumbersome decorations that the Fire Nation bested him with.

Finally, and dressed only in the grey uniform that when under his uniform, Zyperis moved to stand beside Shiroten, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder.

Unknown to Shiroten, Zyperis nodded to a soldier on the outer wall.

That single nod began a night of trauma for them all.


	25. Burning Night

**Zuko: You do realize that this is 8 thousand words shorter than your average chapter 3 months ago?**

**Elenea: Shut up or I'll pair you with Appa. **

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* * *

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Chapter 25: Yoru Moeru

(Burning Night)

With the fire human's help, her immortal blood had been able to take over and heal her many wounds. As evening fell she shuffled out of the hut he had so painstakingly built for her, stretched her wings, and prepared to leave this arc of her journey behind.

As she walked, she passed the remains of the fire he'd stoked every night to keep her warm, then the thorns he had freed her from at cost of his own injury.

Suddenly, she found she couldn't leave. The honor of her people was weighted on her chest though she had never met another of her kind.

She could not leave until she had repaid her debt.

* * *

Zuko felt it before he saw it, the fire coming towards him.

Ducking, he spun on his palms and knocked the Fire Nation soldier off his feet.

Guards from the palace halls flooded into the courtyard but there were too many fire-benders. Where had they all come from?

Zuko whirled and dodged, fighting without his bending, remembering the lie he'd told to the Tasha guards. When it was over, he was alone.

He turned and rushed back into the palace just as the fortress shook with the impact of a fireball. He passed both Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation soldiers, hurrying to get to Katara.

He found her fighting off several fire-benders with her excellent bending. He helped her take care of the last few and then grabbed her shoulder.

"Zuko!" she breathed in relief.

"Where's Sokka?"

Katara shook her head. "He went back to the room to get Aang and Midori."

* * *

The three, Mitsu, Midori and Aang, that is, were standing quietly on the balcony when three fire-benders dressed all in black with the Fire Nation symbol tattooed on their bare-shoulders leapt up onto the railing, lowering their daggers at the young Avatar.

He raised his staff which by some miracle he'd brought with him.

"Girls, stay behind me."

A shriek behind him made Aang turn. Mitsu had Midori by the neck and was pressing a knife to her throat.

The traitorous woman grinned eerily.

"Even think about bending, Avatar, and this girl is dead."

Aang didn't have to think about it, even as Midori shook her head no. He dropped his staff and let the fire-benders chain his hands together. They even placed these wicked wooden bars around his neck so he couldn't even turn his head to say a word of comfort.

There was no way he could bend.

Midori let a single tear slide, remembered how her brother had sent her on while he himself stayed behind to fight.

"Aang…"

"It'll be all right, Midori."

That was the last thing she heard before a sharp blow to the back of her head rendered her unconscious.

* * *

Azula rushed from her bed as the sounds of a battle grew louder. She found Peris at the top of the outer wall and for the moment did not even remember that he was her fiancé.

"What is going on, General?"

Peris didn't even turn.

"Perhaps you should watch, Princess."

Azula growled. "I know what is happening, but surely you could've told me! I am the presiding…"

Peris turned his head and leveled such a glare at her. Never had Peris looked at her in such a way and she never wanted it to happen again. Rarely had Peris stood against her, but this apparently wasn't one of those times.

"If it had been a more essential undertaking, I would've contacted you. As it is, I wished for the gained advantage from this mission to be a surprise to you."

Azula blinked and Peris returned his gaze to the battlefield.

"I believe the Avatar will be a sufficient wedding gift."

Azula spun, staring towards the Earth city. _Zuko!_

* * *

Zuko found Sokka fighting alone against at least twenty fire-benders. Without hesitation, they joined together and quickly finished them off.

Zuko spun around, glaring at the Water Tribe warrior.

"Where's Aang!?"

"Does it look like I got there?" Sokka spat back.

The two took off down the halls, Zuko easily gaining a three foot lead. When they reached the room, the door was barred from the inside. The former Fire Prince forsook his incognito battle style to blast down the door. The room was empty and he raced past onto the balcony, the door to which hung open.

He found Mitsu lying unconscious and was quickly at her side. At his touch, she opened her eyes and attached herself to his chest.

"Oh, Suiro, they took Aang and Midori. I couldn't do anything! I feel so horrible!"

Zuko pushed her away in an attempt to wake her out of her self-pity but as he did so, a blast of earth sent the girl flying off the balcony and down into the courtyard below.

Zuko followed her but immediately found a young female earth-bender beside him, her arms raised towards Mitsu, who was now glaring.

"She's lying."

Zuko had to look down to see the girl but she didn't even return his gaze. Upon further inspection, he found she was blind.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Toph of the Bei Fong family, and I'm Lord Mako's niece. I'll take care of prissy here. You go after the Avatar."

Zuko nodded and turned back to the balcony.

"Mika!"

The tigress appeared instantly and leapt down to his side. After checking to make sure his swords were tied tightly, he nodded to Toph and took off running, Mika at his side.

* * *

Sokka, having been detained by a couple of fire-benders, found his way to the room. When he found it empty, he took off back down the hall to tell Katara.

* * *

Toph and Mitsu faced each other in the courtyard. Surprisingly, Toph grinned.

"We knew there was a spy in the ranks but we didn't know who. Personally, I'm glad it's you. I've wanted to bash your face in for a while."

Mitsu glared.

"Come now, little blind leech, I'll show you what true fighting is about."

The spy shot forward, moving easily and launched a knife towards the governor's niece.

It never reached its target. A pillar of earth shot up in front of it, shattering the blade, and a large rock connected with Mitsu's stomach, sending her flying back. She was unconscious when she hit the ground.

Toph grinned. "That took longer than expected."

* * *

Zuko crossed the field between the Earth and Fire Nation cities with ease. Mika ran by his side, as silent as her kind was bred to be. Outside the wall, despite the battle, two guards paced by the gate. Zuko looked to Mika and she rubbed against his outstretched hand.

They moved at the same moment.

Mika leapt from her place, tackling the furthest guard and snapping his neck with one great crunch of her jaws.

Zuko tacked the other guard, twisting his head in one smooth movement, the sickening pop of the neck breaking beneath his hands nearly driving him to turn around.

Instead of doing so, he stripped the now limp body of the Fire Nation soldier of his outer armor and used it to cover his thin black suit. Mika frowned at him as he slipped the helmet over his head, but he held up a hand to be silent and she nodded her understand.

Several guards noticed one of their own coming in with a tigress. The tigress turned and growled at them, but the guard snapped a whip of fire and the tigress followed him into the fortress. They didn't think twice.

Zuko shed himself off the armor once inside, hiding it in a closet. Mika was close by his side as he slipped down the hallway, peering around corners and keeping to the shadows.

He slipped further into the fortress, following guards and more guards until he reached the wall.

"How does it feel to know there's no escape, Avatar?"

Zuko froze then ran up the steps. From his position, he could see them clearly, but their backs were to him.

Azula and a man he didn't know were standing opposite Aang and Midori, both held by at least two guards. There were more than twenty guards nearby. They had Aang trussed up so there was no way he could bend but they must not know Midori was a bender.

Aang gritted his teeth. "My friends will rescue me."

"Who?" It was the man speaking, the one Aang didn't know. "The Blue Spirit? You must not understand. You are held here in not only one of the strongest fortresses that the Fire Nation holds but by two of the world's most elite fire-benders. No mere shinobi will free you from these quarters."

Aang lunged against his holdings. "My friends will free me! Against them, you don't have a chance!"

Azula smirked.

Zuko looked down to Mika. "You get those things off Aang and free Midori. I'll go after that guy and Azula."

Mika looked at him and he sighed.

"It's the best I've got." He turned. "Ich…ni…san…go!"

The two leapt up, Zuko using fire to create a diversion.

Azula felt herself knocked back and Peris fell beside her. Guards were crying out in pain as the fire could not be put out.

Midori felt her bindings tossed away and as one of the guards fell back, he knocked over several large casks…casks of _water._

Aang was stepping back when suddenly Zuko was there. Mika was busy taking care of several guards. With light fire-bending, Zuko freed Aang. Aang saw behind Zuko and with quick air-bending, sent the fire heading for them both off course.

The three benders stood against Azula and the man beside her.

Zuko's gaze narrowed. "Peris? I thought…"

Peris frowned. "Finally, we meet."

Zuko stared in confusion. "Meet? We grew up together."

Azula started forward but Peris blocked her with an arm, his gaze still matching Zuko's.

"Hm, great care Agni takes of his son." Peris stated.

Azula stared at him. "What are you talking about?"

Zuko turned. "Aang, Midori, go. I'll catch up."

Aang shook his head but Midori grabbed his arm and pulled him away. Aang had time for one last word.

"I'll hold you to that, Zuko."

And then they were gone.

Azula found she couldn't go after them, her feet wouldn't move. Peris wasn't paying any more attention to her or the Avatar anyway.

Peris stared Zuko down as the former prince moved into a fighting stance.

"I'm glad we can end this now."

"End what?" Zuko countered.

Peris grinned. "Surely you know of The Prophecy of Four."

"I've heard of it."

Peris' grin grew wider. "It speaks of four beings that will rise at the time when great evil spreads. The Daughter of Kaia, the Son of Samir, the Daughter of Nen, and the Son of Agni."

Zuko sighed. "I know that."

Peris straightened from his stance. "You know the Daughter of Nen is the water-bender you travel with."

Zuko nodded.

"Think, Zuko, think."

Zuko did, he thought. He thought hard.

"_Another thing for me as well, how can I be the last hope for Agni's blood if he forsook my family at Fire Lord Solzen? I don't carry his blood. What can I do?"_

"_Zuko, meet the Daughter of Nen."_

"_Zuko, do you know who the Son of Agni is?" _

"_Hm, great care Agni takes of his son." _

Zuko froze, staring forward. Peris grinned.

"That's right. You are the Son of Agni. How does it feel to know that not one but two fathers let you down? One to scar you and one to let it happen?"

Zuko stopped, trembling, staring forward, unable to move. His mouth hung slightly open and his eyes were wide.

Peris frowned. "And I'd hoped you'd be more of a challenge."

With that, he sent a fire blast straight for Zuko.

Zuko regained his senses in time to see the blast heading for him but not in time to block or counter it. It was at that moment that he heard someone screaming his name.

Azula ran forward and placed herself in the path of the fire as Zuko stared in horror. The fire dissipated and Peris watched coldly as Azula pitched forward. As she fell into her brother's arms, she whispered.

"I'm sorry,"

When she hit the ground, slowed by Zuko, she was gone.

A dark red dragon lighted on the wall but Zuko didn't see.

Shiroten leapt down from Sainan's back.

"Zyperis! The Earth Kingdom soldiers are taking over the fortress! Are you done?"

Zyperis stared at the two siblings and nodded. He turned and mounted the dragon, Shiroten just behind him. Hakai and Konton leapt on Sainan's back and they were gone.


	26. I Will Find You

_"Only a mountain has lived long enough to listen objectively to the howl of a wolf."_

--Aldo Leopold

"_Kisses are like tears, the only real ones are the ones you can't hold back._" Author Unknown

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* * *

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Chapter 26: Kimi wo Mitsukedasu

She froze as an enormous light erupted from the Fire Nation city. It covered the land then centered itself in a beam to the swirling heavens.

* * *

Katara was leading the army into the wall tower when the tower itself began to melt. She protected them with a shield of water until they were safe and fire-benders and earth-benders alike watched in horror.

"Impossible…"

"What's happening?"

Katara didn't know. The stone tower was _melting_!

When it lay in a molten pool around them, Katara saw two figures kneeling in the center and ran forward, using her water-bending to cool the liquid stone.

She was shocked to discover that one of the figures was Zuko. The other was his sister, Princess Azula, who was lying still in his arms.

"Zuko?"

He didn't look up, his eyes tightly shut and his teeth were gritted. A single tear leaked from that scarred eye and evaporated on his scalding skin.

"Zuko?" She tried again.

Kneeling beside him, Katara tried to understand what was going through Zuko's head.

The metal of Azula's armor melted over his hands where he held her and Katara could see where the molten metal bit into his unprotected skin but Zuko did not seem to feel the pain.

Katara placed a hand on his shoulder, his clothes smoldering, and winced at the pain. For a moment, she tried not to think about the words 'searing' and 'flesh.' Instead, she wrapped her arms around him, pressing his head to her chest.

"It's all right, Zuko."

As she looked at the fallen princess out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Azula was still breathing.

"See? She's breathing. She'll be all right with some care."

Zuko opened his eyes slightly and then tore away from them both. Aang quickly blocked his path and caught him by the shoulders. Fastened by the Avatar's iron gaze, Zuko was held fast by a child half his size.

"What's wrong, Zuko?"

"Can't you see?" Zuko whispered, unable to stop shaking. "I killed my own sister."

Katara gathered the fallen princess up and ran her hands over the girl's chest, assessing the damage.

"She's not dead, Zuko. In fact, she'll be fine."

That time it seemed Zuko heard her for he turned his head and looked at them both. A few earth-benders including Lord Mako's niece, Toph, and two of them brought a pallet to carry the princess on.

Aang released Zuko but the former prince didn't move, watching them carry her away.

Toph shifted on her feet, listening to Zuko's heartbeat slow down. The heat in the earth upset her but the wild erratic beating of his heart disturbed her more, for it shifted her whole world.

Promptly, she walked over and slapped him.

"I thought the Fire Nation was strong, but you're just a crybaby weakling!"

She turned and walked away until a fireball grazed her shoulder. She knew it had purposely missed her by a hair. Without turning, she smiled.

"That's better."

Behind her, she heard Zuko smile as well.

* * *

Katara spent the night working with the healers to get the injured taken care of. Azula was in a special room and Katara hadn't allowed anyone but herself to take care of the princess, only trusting herself.

* * *

She had found him walking alone through the fields towards where he had left her. Now they were walking side by side along the river Ayaka, just south of the Earth city Tasha.

"So, you want to stay with me?"

She tossed her head. "Of course not, I am honor bound to be with you until I have repaid my debt to you."

He sighed and looked away from her. "That's not necessary. A un…"

"Ki-Lin!"

He began again. "A Ki-Lin should be bound to no one."

She stood still as he began walking again, not looking back. How could she say it, to a human of all things?

"Listen, boy!"

He turned and looked at her and she glared back. At last, he nodded and turned away again. She was more stubborn than he.

"My name is Kagehi."

"My name…call me Korosu."

They reached the edge of the plateau and he looked out over the edge of the world, the brisk wind blowing through his dark hair and fluttering her wings and mane.

"That can't be your name."

"It is what I am to the world."

She nodded and then followed his gaze. From here, the moon was beautiful and full, shining sapphire down on them. She nudged his shoulder with her muzzle.

"Come, let me show you something."

He turned and she proffered her back to him. Smoothly he leapt onto her back without putting too much pressure on her still sore muscles.

"Put your legs in front of my wings…slide up…on my withers, there…now hold on."

He wrapped his hands in her mane and she turned from the cliff's edge and trotted back a few feet. When she turned, she felt him flinch.

"Hang on a moment, Kagehi, you aren't going to…"

She took off at a full gallop, straight for the cliff's edge. He held tight and hid behind her neck, burying his face in her mane. Kagehi leapt from the plateau, her momentum holding her in mid-air for a moment. She began to lose height and at the last possible moment, she flung her wings open, catching the updraft of air and soared to the sky.

Slowly his grip lessened and he began to look around as they flew among the clouds. Korosu's gaze led him to the stars and he raised one hand from her mane to let it glide through a cloud.

"This is amazing."

Kagehi smiled, enjoying the feel of the wind over her wings, a feeling she had missed more than anything else.

To the left of them, a burst of light caught there attention. A star had gone super-nova. The light lit up the sky from horizon to horizon, the world glittering as if it were noon-day.

"Amazing," Kagehi whispered. "A once in a lifetime opportunity,"

Korosu nodded and another pulse of light followed the first.

Kagehi whinnied in alarm as Korosu suddenly tensed and then went limp, falling from her back thousands of feet above the earth. She spun in mid-air and shot after him, folding her wings along her body for speed.

_People screaming…fire…everywhere…rain…arrows…lightning…children…dying…_

"Korosu……Korosu!"

He blinked and sat up sharply as Kagehi sighed in relief. He was sitting on her back once more.

"What happened?"

He shook his head. "I…I don't know…"

* * *

Katara looked everywhere for Zuko but she couldn't find him anyway. It was almost dawn and he was just gone!

Azula's eyes fluttered open. She could've sworn she'd heard something at the window but there was no one. Trying to sit up, she stopped as pain laced through her back. There was also an arm thrown over her stomach.

Looking for the owner, she gasped and tears sprang to her eyes.

Zuko was lying next to her, sound asleep, resting as he had when they were children and she'd been too frightened by the war and by their father to rest comfortably alone. She smoothed the wild hair from his forehead and flinched when her hand hit the scar.

He looked up at her from beneath a cracked eyelid and she blinked in surprise.

Zuko shifted and prepared to go back to sleep, somehow convinced that this was years before and he and his sister still liked each other.

The next thing he knew, he had a sobbing princess on his chest.

"A-A-Azula?"

"It was all because of some stupid fight! My stupid pride! If I had never said you weren't fit to be prince you would've never gone into that war chamber and never…"

The rest was drowned out by a fresh wave of sobs.

"Azula,"

Azula looked up, not caring about how her face looked or what he thought.

"Thank you,"

She blanched and sat back as far as she could. "'Thank you!' What for?"

He looked up and smiled. "For telling me I wasn't fit to be a prince. If you hadn't, I would've never gone into that war chamber, never been banished, never have learned about the other side of the war, and never have met…anyway, thank you. I owe you one."

She stared at him and then slapped him as hard as she could.

"Don't thank me after I apologized so profusely! I was being serious!"

It was hard to convince her that he had been serious also when he couldn't stop laughing.

Katara was coming down the hall when she heard laughter from the princess' room. Slipping inside, she found Zuko sitting cross-legged on the edge of Azula's bed, the princess propped up by many pillows and smiling.

She watched as Zuko hit his forehead. "I never knew! Are you serious?"

Azula nodded and clasped her hands together comically. "She used to swear she was in love!"

The two laughed out and Katara put her hands on her hips.

"Who are we talking about?"

Zuko turned, still smiling. "Mai."

Azula bit her lip in face of her former enemy but Katara smiled.

"Princess Azula, if you don't mind visitors, Lord Mako would like to see you. Zuko, Sokka desperately needs your help."

"What'd he do this time?"

"He was born."

Zuko laughed and headed out to find Sokka. Katara turned to go when Azula stopped her.

"Thank you."

Katara turned. "For what?"

Azula smiled. "For making him laugh again. He told me about the island."

Katara returned her smile. "I used to hate you but he told me what you were like when you were younger. I'm hoping that maybe you'll stay that way from now on."

* * *

As the sun rose, the Water Sages quickly fled to the opposite side of the temple, fleeing from the angry sounds that echoed through the halls of the northern tower.

"What were you thinking!?"

"…"

"He was right there in front of you and you didn't kill him?"

Zyperis frowned. "I believe the reason you sent me was to show Ozai his daughter's true nature, not murder the Son of Agni."

Eimin growled and put another dent in the stone wall.

"We've already determined nothing can stop us, why deal with unnecessary deaths? Don't you want it to at least be a challenge?"

Shiroten stopped just outside the door.

Eimin spun around. "Nothing can stop us? Nothing? I believe there's something."

Zyperis stood sharply. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Eimin stared down into his son's eyes, driving two fingers into Zyperis' chest.

"It means you best get your priorities straight. You wouldn't want your precious brother to find out the truth would you?"

Shiroten gasped as he heard the sound of a wall cracking.

Picking himself up from the rubble of the ruined wall, Eimin stared in surprise. Zyperis cracked his wrist and took deep breaths through an open mouth, his eyes glittering in anger. Eimin raised his hand to the cheek that had just been struck, surprised to find his jaw in one piece.

"You…you stay away from Shiroten you…you…." Zyperis apparently could not find a word strong enough to describe his father and therefore turned and left the room before it could escalate any further. So dark was his anger that he didn't see Shiroten standing there and he had to run to catch up to Zyperis.

"Are we going to the Achlys now?"

Zyperis shook his head, not trusting himself to speak just yet. Shiroten saw this and didn't say anything either.

* * *

The door to the lower dungeons clanged open and each guard was at attention as the Fire Lord himself swept by. A guard opened the door to Ziri's cell and without a word exchanged closed it behind the Fire Lord.

Ziri looked up to see Ozai standing silently at the front of his cell. The Fire Lord threw something at him and he was surprised to see the Qiäng clatter to a stop at his feet. He bent and picked up the sacred item, brushing off the dirt it had collected in his absence.

"Make it stop."

Ziri looked up. "Make it stop what?"

Ozai gritted his teeth, struggling to keep his temper under control.

"It burns down anything it touches. No bender can control the fire it creates."

"And you think I can control it?"

Ziri began to tremble, he could barely control the energy flowing through him. The same hatred and anger that had taken over him during the Agni Kai was pumping into him from the Qiäng faster than he could breathe.

The Fire Lord opened his mouth to speak but he found himself staring down the blade of the Qiäng. The cell was too small for it to fully open so the Spear now seemed more of a katana.

"You,"

Ozai nearly flinched, his eyes going wide. The boy's voice was warping as if two people were speaking through him, one the child's normal voice and the other…the other…

"I cannot control the Spear's fire anymore than you can control this earth's very center."

Ziri's voice warped again, becoming deeper, more of the other.

"You, you held me as if I am your own, even after you saw the words written on me. You tried to control me and use me as a weapon. I swear that one day these words will not be all you hear of me, Ozai, and the Son of Agni will rectify the dishonor you have done me."

The boy trembled for a moment, the blade shaking a fraction of an inch from Ozai's jugular, then the blade retracted and Ziri collapsed, crumpling to a heap on the floor.

The lights flickered back into existence, the flames that had been extinguished flickering against the wall. Ziri lay prone on the cold floor, the Qiäng smoking in his hand. Ozai regained his composure and walked out.

The guards were relighting the extinguished lamps and as Ozai swept past, they straightened to their post and bowed. When the Fire Lord was gone, one of the guards rushed in to check on Ziri.

"Come now, Prince, wake up." Gently he patted the side of Ziri's face until the young warrior opened his eyes.

"What happened?"

The guard shook his head. "I don't know."

Ziri looked down the Qiäng in his hand and sighed. "I'm all right. You can go."

The guard hesitated a moment before exiting.

* * *

Zade headed into the war chamber without hesitation and bowed to the Admiral waiting.

"Admiral Min,"

"Zade, I have a special mission for you. There is a boy living on the outskirts of town. He looks like a fire-bender but he is not. He had a black crystal embedded in his forehead and his name is Tasuki. He has something that is dire to the Fire Nation. Choose six of your best men and bring him to me."

Without question, Zade bowed and left the room.

Behind a curtain, Haku bit his lip in distress.

* * *

In the fields of the Earth Kingdom, Agni was surprised to see Mamoru loping up to him, a human boy on his back. Agni twitched his wings and looked at the Earth god through serpentine eyes.

"What is it?"

"I found Kaia."

Within a few moments, Haru found himself on the Fire God's back as they soared above the waves. The Earth god was beneath them, actually running on the water.

In front of them was an enormous Fire Navy ship.

When Azula had left, the soldiers had not received further orders so they took their time on the way back to the Fire Nation, taking advantage of the company they'd been left with.

Kaia sat in the women's quarters, comforting the other servant girls, hoping that the drunken men wouldn't get past the barricaded door. The chains Eimin had placed on her prevented her from transforming or controlling her element.

Just then, the boat rocked to the side and the women were thrown against one wall.

The men on deck staggered as an enormous golden dragon landed and tore several long gashes in the metal.

Haru leapt to the deck from Agni's back and bended the coal up from the engines, using it to blast men overboard.

Agni took human shape beside him, blocking the men's haphazard fire-bending and doing some of his own. Mamoru transformed to his human shape and ran for the stairs. Haru and Agni finished the men above and followed him.

Kaia stood in front of the huddled women as the sounds of a fight just outside the door grew louder. Just as soon as they started, it was quiet.

There was a knocking at the door and Kaia gave an exuberant cry as she recognized the inquiring voice. She pulled the door open and collapsed into the arms of her waiting husband.

"Oh, Mamoru, I've been so worried."

He held her close, pressing his face to her hair, trembling in relief as she sobbed in joy. She barely registered Agni and an earth-bender walking past her to lead the other women up to the deck.

Agni and Mamoru guided the ship to a nearby Earth Kingdom port where the women got off and each headed off to return to their own homes.

In an inn, Agni, Mamoru, Kaia, and Haru sat down to discuss the happenings of the world and fill Haru in on the supernatural effects.

"So, there are four teenagers that are supposed to be the Prophesied Four?"

Mamoru nodded. Agni was pacing a few feet a way and Haru was sure that if he had been in his dragon form, his tail would be thrashing from side to side in frustration.

Finally, Kaia stood.

"It's late and we're all tired. All of us need to go to bed…now."

Mamoru was all too willing to agree and they each retired to their own rooms.

Haru lay awake, staring up at the ceiling, thinking of Katara and the others, how they had fought so hard for people that weren't their own. It felt strange being so far from home, but he felt the need to help these people, these gods. Shasa had so willingly given up her life to protect him…couldn't he do the same?

Agni couldn't sleep. He paced on the balcony of his room, often raising his head to gaze at the moon. He sighed then continued pacing. A soft sea breeze danced around him and into the inn but before it could pass, a soft voice filled his head.

"_Agni,"_

Agni spun around, waiting for the next breeze, staring desperately out to sea.

"_Agni," _

"Shasa, I'm here!" he cried hungrily, his voice rasping with emotion.

"_Agni, please protect my people. In the North, protect my people." _

He nodded, fighting back the hunger for his wife.

"I will, I promise."

In a flash of light, he assumed his true form, spreading golden wings to the star filled sky. With one swoop, he soared out over the ocean and to the north.

* * *

The Komodo Rhinos were behaving themselves strangely well. Yashamaru walked beside them while Li rode on the cart which carried the Earth King inside his metal cell.

"This is fun! Can't we go faster though?"

Fully decked out in his YuuYan gear, Yashamaru smothered a laugh while Li struggled not to maim King Bumi.

"Don't worry, Li, it's not much further to Taiyoo."

Li sighed and returned to urging the Rhinos faster.

_

* * *

When the moon is not quite full, but still a glowing orb against a blackened sky, it sends chills down spines and brings out things we fear the most. That is why we call it a vampire moon._

Zyperis looked up at the waxing moon, staying for the time being in the Earth Kingdom mansion his father had built at the beginning of the war.

It was the picture of his father's twisted mind, stone and black metal alternating through the demonic manor. Even the trees seemed to have been forced and twisted up from the black ground. The streams turned black as they ran onto the estate.

A manor built over the very spot Eimin had been Sealed so many years ago.

Shiroten was sitting in the dining hall, black curtains and sculptures of twisted creatures that no mortal had laid eyes on. No living mortal, that is. He looked up when Zyperis entered.

"Why are we here?"

Zyperis smiled slightly and Shiroten blinked in surprise. "I'm waiting for someone."

In celebration of their victory over the Fire Nation, Lord Mako announced that there would be a feast that night.

∞

Jet couldn't stay still. Most of the Fire Nation troops had left under orders from someone higher up, Jet had a mind to say it was that bastard Peris but then again...

Mai and Ty Lee had left him on their own mission to rejoin with their princess and he just couldn't figure out what to do.

_She probably left you behind to go off with that pretty boy of hers. She doesn't need you. And Katara doesn't need you either. She has the Fire Prince now. _

"Shut up."

_No point in staying here. Go back to your Freedom Fighters. But then, they've done well without you as well. _

"I said SHUT UP!"

The fort was in a mess from the battle but Jet left everything as it was. The Komodo Rhino he chose was smaller but faster than most.

Within half an hour, he was miles away.

* * *

Mitsu was in jail, along with her husband, Hoshi, who had been the one to let the Fire Nation soldiers in.

Katara was in a room that a young woman had taken her to. The woman's name was Nora and she was as kindly as Gran-Gran. She calmly applied make-up to Katara's already pleasant features while her small group of women made tiny adjustments to Katara's dress.

"Really, I'm not sure if I should…"

"Nonsense," Nora countered before Katara could finish. "The Avatar and his companions will be the guests of honor. You must shine!"

She met Sokka outside her room and he too looked like he'd been pampered and twisted into the outfit he currently wore which seemed to be a mix of Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom finery. Aang was in a courtly fashion with all four symbols of the Bending Arts embroidered on his right shoulder. He seemed happy with the entire affair.

"Hurry, Katara, the banquet's already started!"

∞

"Presenting Zuko and Azula, the former prince and princess of the Fire Nation."

Strangely enough, they were received with warm applause and as they walked down the stairs arm in arm, Zuko turned to his sister.

"I still find it strange that you gave up your title so easily."

Azula laughed. "Unlike you, big brother, I never cared much for father, just for power. It was simple to let him go. Besides, I've been planning it for years."

Tonight, Azula was a sight to see and so was Zuko. The royal seamstress had taken the challenge of designing their clothes tonight. The crimson and gold fabric was now inlaid with tiny crystals, making every step they took seem as if it were on fire. Azula's hair was loose and braided with rubies and gold quartz. Zuko's was held back with a large ruby pendant and the loose strands fell shortly about his ears.

As the dances began, Azula was swept away from him by Lord Mako's son, Xing Tu, and Zuko discussed politics with the gentleman in charge of Tasha's security.

"Presenting Avatar Aang of the Northern Air Temple."

Zuko turned and greeted Aang with a smile. When the young Avatar reached the floor, he was escorted to the table where Lord Mako was sharing a cup of tea with his niece, Toph.

"Presenting Sokka, Warrior of the Southern Water Tribe."

Zuko stifled a laugh and Sokka joined him in the crowd. Just as soon as he did, Sokka was caught up by a young woman and pulled into the dance and Zuko found himself invariably drawn to whom he knew was coming next.

"Presenting Katara, Master Water-bender of the Southern Water Tribe."

The title was intimidating and Katara could feel the stares of every eye on her and wanted to run back into the hall. Then her gaze met golden orbs.

Zuko felt himself stepping forward from the crowds but he couldn't have formed a word if his life depended on it. Katara was dressed in silver-blue dress, embroidered with crystals that changed shade with every step she took, making it seem as if she danced in shower of rain.

As she stepped down onto the floor, he offered her his arm and felt her sigh in relief.

"All these people are watching us. It's unnerving."

Zuko smiled. "Just hold your head up and pretend you're better than them. You are in my eyes."

Katara couldn't help but smile as Zuko guided her through the crowds and onto the dance floor.

"Hey," she started as they joined the dance. "You didn't ask me if I wanted to dance with you."

Zuko's smile grew wider. "I'm so popular I just assumed you'd like to have the first. I probably won't be available for the rest of the night."

The night was indeed wonderful, Azula first stealing her brother away from Katara and Katara took up the scorned Xing Tu. Hours passed and they danced, ate, and drank, enjoying life as only they could, knowing that tomorrow they would have to strap on their swords and staffs and go back to war.

Zuko suddenly found his arms filled with one of the last people he expected to see.

"Hi Zuko!"

Zuko blinked. "Hello, Ty Lee…"

The energetic gymnast was dressed in a bright pink gown. Glancing around, Zuko found Mai dancing with Xing Tu, who was obviously unnerved by the girl's inane opacity.

"What are you doing, Ty Lee?"

She laughed. "We were going to rescue Azula but she seems happy so we're just going to stay and enjoy the party. Is that okay with you?"

Zuko found himself swiftly spun straight into Mai's arms while Ty Lee took over the stunned Xing Tu. Zuko had half a mind to help the bewildered duke, but then again, teasing Mai was much more fun. She was already blushing in his arms.

* * *

Azula looked around from her place by the balcony and smiled when she saw someone familiar in the courtyard below. Gathering up her skirts, she rushed downstairs to meet him.

Outside, she spotted him walking from the banquet hall and into the city and strangely, no matter how fast she ran, she couldn't catch up.

Just outside the city wall, he finally turned and faced her, but the eyes she saw were not the ones she'd once confessed to herself that she loved.

"Azula, don't you look…painted."

She gasped and stepped back. "Jet,"

"You'd think so, wouldn't you, Princess?"

Behind Jet, Peris stepped out of the woods but he wasn't the Peris Azula knew. He stood in the shadows and all she could really see of his were his eyes and they definitely weren't the golden eyes she'd grown up with. In fact, they were solid black, no pupil, no sclera, just black, outlined by his pale face.

"It doesn't take much to alter an appearance, especially from this distance."

He reached up and grabbed 'Jet' by the back of the neck and even though she knew now that it wasn't Jet, Azula couldn't help but bite her lip, struggling to restrain herself from running to his aid, pressing herself into a more complicated position.

She hoped Peris wouldn't make her fight this decoy.

But no, she wasn't that lucky. Without a flicker of emotion on his face, Peris crushed the decoy's spine in his hand and tossed the now limp body to the side as Azula stared in horror.

Everything she'd ever been taught vanished from her mind, everything that had taught her to never back down, to always stand strong, and to fight to defend her people just vanished as common sense told her: This was not an enemy she could handle.

Azula turned from Peris and ran.

She had barely taken three steps before a hand snaked out and jerked her back by her loose hair. Thrown to the ground, she wasn't released. Instead, Peris dragged her along behind him by her hair. She struggled to regain her feet as he paid little attention to her desperate movements. As she tried to pry his grip from her ebony locks, her other hand reached down to grab the dagger strapped to her thigh.

An attack to Peris could prove to backfire. What she needed was to get free and put distance between him and her. He wasn't going to let her run, so she had to fight.

Peris saw the flicker of metal out of the corner of his eye as Azula got her feet beneath her and pulled away, a dagger cutting straight through the obsidian strands he held in his hand. She tore away, leaving a few wisps of hair to float in the space between him and she leapt to her feet, still in her evening dress, but her arms were up, ready to battle.

"Look around you, princess."

She had been ready to fight but as Azula did as she was told, every ounce of hardly once courage seeped its way out like poison into a wound. She was deep in the forest, just inside an iron gate and as she watched, demon-like creatures came snarling out of the dark. Their heads were like wolves but the snout was broader and the eyes set slightly on top, serpentine. Their bodies were covered in fur, colors ranging from dark crimson to midnight black, a long serpent tail with a barb on the end and clawed feet. Each one was half the size of a full dragon but at least three times the size of a wolf!

"Do you like them, princess? I call them wolf-dragons."

"Wolf-dragons," she repeated.

Those closest to her barked and snarled, some lifting their heads to howl at the suddenly full moon. When Azula turned around, Peris was gone.

"Azula," his voice resounded around her. "The only way back is to go forward. The only way home is to take a step away."

She bit her lip but understood. Her eyes fastened on the enormous mansion. "The only way back is to go forward."

Azula took off running towards the mansion, the wolf-dragons close on her heels.

* * *

Haru left the inn with Mamoru's blessing, still startled that he was in the company of gods. He had wanted to leave with Agni, sure that the Fire God would want his help to find Shasa, and he would find Shasa, but Agni had already left when he woke that morning.

Either way, Haru set out in the direction he'd last seen Shasa once more. Hours passed and as the sun set he was in a forest that seemed to be full of life. That was, at least, until a group of young boys jumped down in front of him, all armed. Maybe borrowing Agni's crimson shirt to replace his torn and battered one wasn't such a good idea.

An extremely large rebel came running at him with a log raised over his head as a club. Haru stepped forward with his right foot, slamming down into the earth and encasing the giant in rock.

The others around him ran forward.

"Wait, wait! Stop!"

Somehow, everyone managed to stop before running into Haru.

"What is it, Smellerbee?"

"That guy's an earthbender."

Another one of the boys stepped forward and looked at Haru's chest.

"Then why's he wearing Fire Nation colors?"

"They were available?" Haru replied cautiously.

The one called Smellerbee shrugged. "Come on, it's dark. You can stay with us tonight."

A few minutes later Haru found himself entwined among thousands of refugee children, boy and girls alike, that had stationed themselves in the trees of the forests.

Smellerbee sighed as she and a few others sat inside of one of the make-shift houses with Haru.

"I know you don't think it's much, Haru, but when Jet was here, the Freedom Fighters made a difference. Then he ran off and we haven't heard from him since."

"What kind of leader abandons his followers?"

Smellerbee shrugged. "I thought Jet was great…I'm so worried about him."

For a moment, it seemed she would cry and then the iron was back, the steel in her veins that kept her strong.

"Well," Haru started, choosing his words carefully. "I heard of a camp not too far from here where those old enough can join the Earth Kingdom army and those not can learn basic fighting skills until they are old enough."

The bright faces he saw told him he'd said the right thing.

* * *

Jet was riding hard back towards his forest when the amulet around his neck began to glow brightly.

"_You are making the wrong decision." _

It wasn't the voice he usually heard, the one he'd labeled his conscience. This one was a woman's voice, soft and musical and…disappointed.

"Who are you?" he asked after pulling the horstrich to a stop.

"_I am Hiketsu. You wear me around your neck." _

Jet looked down at the amulet around his neck. "Hiketsu? The Key of One Thousand Winds?"

"_That's right, and you are making the wrong decision, Son of Samir." _

"What decision?"

"_Your decision to leave." _

"I need to return to my men."

"_They have another leader, someone who leads them to safety. Someone else needs you, someone who loves you, and whom you love." _

"Azula!" Jet didn't need to hesitate on that one. He knew whom he loved but he was sure she didn't love him. He knew she would never abandon her country and she would never go against her father's wishes and her father wanted her to marry that Peris.

"_Oh, be quiet. You sound so foolish. You've fallen in love with a girl who has refused from the moment you met her to completely reveal herself to you. You know little to nothing about her. Whether she loves you or not, she needs your help now go!"_

"Show me the way."

He turned the horstrich around and they ran, the Hiketsu's light powering a path through the forest.

* * *

Zuko stepped out onto the balcony, seeking relief from the stuffy air in the banquet hall. It was near midnight and those that weren't drunk were either underage or passed out. He closed his eyes and let the cool air flow over him.

When had he come to love the rain? When had the soft cool night air become soothing? When had the light of the moon not instilled a sense of fear within him?

He hummed a song that his cousin, Lu Ten, had taught him years before, hearing the words in his head.

_How do you fall in love? _

_When do you say 'I do?'_

_When do you know it's time_

_To spend the rest of your life_

_Seasons may come and go_

_Sometimes it rains and snows_

_And there will be highs and lows_

_So only you will know_

"Hello Aang,"

Aang jumped in surprise but walked across the balcony to wear Zuko stood.

"The moon is very bright tonight." Aang stated and Zuko nodded.

"It must be hard to see the moon now."

Aang blinked in surprise until Zuko continued. "Katara told me of Princess Yue. I think of her often when I see the moon now."

"Did you know her?"

"I met her, once, when I was a child."

There were a few moments of silence for Aang to re-gather his courage.

"Zuko, I love Katara,"

"I know,"

"But so do you."

Zuko's words stopped dead in his throat. It had never been put to him that way. He couldn't possibly, could he?

"Aang, I…don't…"

"Yes you do," Aang's voice got firmer. "At least, you better, because…because…Shasa said she belongs to you, you, the Son of Agni."

Zuko sighed. "Do you know who Katara is, Aang?"

"She's Katara."

"She's the Daughter of Nen, one of the Prophesied Four."

Aang's eyes got wide and he shook his head. "No, she can't be."

"She is. Agni told me. They told her. She knows. There is so much more to what is happening now and I have no idea what is going on."

Aang turned as a young lady from the banquet called him.

"Well, Zuko…take care of her. Promise?"

Zuko blinked but to make the Avatar happy, he nodded. "I promise."

He looked up the moon once more and saw Yue's smiling face looking down on him. Her eyes, so soft and blue, turned white as she molded into the moon spirit again.

A blinding light behind his eyes and images began flashing before his eyes.

A crash behind him and Aang spun around, finding Zuko lying hunched up on the floor, holding his head. Aang pulled him up and held him while the woman ran back into hall. Instantly, Katara, Sokka, and Midori were there at his side.

"What's happening?" Midori questioned as Katara placed her healing hands on Zuko's chest.

_People screaming…_

_fire…everywhere…_

_rain…arrows…lightning…_

_children…dying…_

_soldiers fighting…burning…killing…_

As Sokka and Aang carried Zuko up to their shared room, Katara heard him whisper one word.

"Shian,"

* * *

Azula quickly learned the wolf-dragons didn't like fire and made it into the mansion. She ran forward into a large hall and found a doorway. Wrenching it open, she found a staircase that led down and at the bottom of the stairs were fire, full of hatred and anger. There were things in the fire, things she did not want to see fully let alone go closer to. She slammed the door shut and turned around.

The large hall was gone and there was nothing but a narrow staircase leading to the next floor higher. She didn't have a choice and walked towards the staircase.

The moment she placed her foot on the first step, the door behind her vanished and there was no way back.

Somehow it seemed to take an eternity to take one step and she lost all sense of time, ever putting one foot in front of the other. At first she ran up the stairs but now it was an effort just to raise her head to look up.

After a lifetime, she saw a light at the head of the stairs and managed those last few steps to the top. A blinding light and she was in the room, the stairwell melting away behind her. But now, she would've rather been on the stairs for the rest of her life. By Agni, she would've taken the wolf-dragons.

For standing in front of her was a real dragon. Luckily, it was chained to the floor but the door to the next room was behind it. That was the only way out.

Azula reached down and tore her skirt from hip to floor on each side and stepped out into a bending stance. The dragon turned towards her and roared, spitting flame across the room. Azula was smart enough not to try and bend the fire away from her. Instead she dodged it with skills she hadn't used in a while.

The dragon raised itself up and pressed its enormous shoulders against the ceiling. Azula watched as a crack spread its way over the stone and then the entire room blew outwards. When the dust had cleared, the only thing left was the floor beneath them. She didn't have time to look around for the dragon had snapped his chain and was already spitting fire at her, never giving her a moment's rest. Step after step she took backwards until she found there was nothing left behind her. And there was _nothing _beneath the floor. There was no ground, no sky, just the platform in the middle of a starry void.

Quickly, Azula dove to dodge the dragon's fire and sent back a flame of her own. The dragon roared and rose up on its hide legs as the fire screamed around him. Azula stood quickly. Was the dragon afraid of fire as well? It didn't make sense but back and forth they exchanged fire until the dragon unwittingly took a step into the abyss. Azula created a fire wall and sent it surging towards the dragon and the last she saw of the beat was it falling into the void so far away.

Then the floor beneath her began breaking away, tile by tile, until she was left with nothing to stand on and she fell. She refused to cry out and she hit the ground hard.

She was another room now and she looked around for the challenge this time. Instead, she saw a very familiar face.

"Zuko!"

* * *

Jet found the mansion easily enough with the Hiketsu's help and lost both of his hook-swords to the wolf-dragons prowling outside. Upon reaching the inside of the mansion, he took a sword from one of the suits of armor, a very old broadsword but it was sharp enough to split hairs.

He headed forward across the immaculate hall. He opened the doorway and below him was a field of fire. Stepping forward onto the first stair leading down, he didn't stop walking, not even looking up when the door melted away behind him.

* * *

Azula backed away until her back hit the wall. Zuko grabbed her chin and forcefully turned her head to him.

"Look at me, Azula! Look at what you did to me!"

With one swift movement he threw her to the ground. Her head cracked against the stone and she tasted blood. He grabbed her by the throat and held her up. This time the side of the castle had melted away to reveal the same demons she'd seen at the first door. She screamed and struggled against the iron grip as he held her over the fiery abyss.

"Be consumed by the same fire you condemned me to."

She looked into his amber eyes for some hope but all she saw was rabid anger…and glee, joy at her demise. With this revelation, Azula went limp, letting her hands fall to her sides. God knows, she deserved this.

"Azula! GET AWAY FROM HER!"

Jet threw the torch he'd picked up and it caught the man in his chest, instantly setting his clothes and self ablaze. The man screamed and released Azula, clawing at himself. Jet threw himself over the edge of the cliff to catch her by the arm. He pulled them both up and was caught by surprise when she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.

"I thought you weren't coming back,"

"I didn't know you knew I left."

She just smiled and they both stood.

The man had clawed off his clothes and even his own skin to get rid of the fire. The torch lay guttered at the end of the hall. Azula raised her hands to finish him off when Peris suddenly appeared, blocking her fire and around them the room faded and they were in the center of the castle. It was crumbling.

"Follow me!"

Jet grabbed Azula's hand and together they dodged falling stone and mortar. The wolf-dragons were gone when they burst out into the courtyard and through the iron gate. Standing outside the iron fence, they turned to each other, and Jet raised a hand to wipe away a bit of dirt from Azula's alabaster cheek.

Tears filled her golden eyes as he pulled her into his arms, her head tucked beneath his chin and she knew that no matter what happened it would be all right. She tilted her head up and he met her with a gentle kiss. How could her broken soul have found such a perfect match?

"_I hope you are the one I share my life with and I wish that you could be the one I die with." _

The Hiketsu smiled internally at Jet's thought. _"Now that's a good decision." _

* * *

Not far away in the woods Zyperis laid Shiroten's burnt body on the floor of pine needles, no light to be seen.

"Come on," he whispered but nothing happened.

Turning to the shadows he yelled, his voice stripped of hatred and filled with heartache. Nen stopped where she was; she didn't want him to know she was witness to this complete breakdown of his walls.

"Why? Why are you not healing him?" Zyperis said to the darkness but they did nothing.

He grabbed Shiroten and pulled him into his lap, holding his torso elevated, the shadow-benders head on his arm.

"Shiroten, please wake up. Please!"

Zyperis lowered his head to the wounded chest, his teeth bared. From his dark lashes poured tears of pain and grief.

"_You wouldn't want your precious brother to find out the truth?" _

"Oh, Shiroten, my love, my hope, my breath, I have been so selfish! I stole you from your parents, from the people who loved you, your mother, your father, and made you my own so that I wouldn't be alone. You've lived in misery so that I could be happy. I promise, live and I will do whatever I must to return you to where you belong. Far…far away from me!"

At long last the shadows turned and began to heal the fallen Shiroten. Zyperis held him closer and prayed to the Powers That Be.

"Shiroten…_AISHITERU!" _

* * *

Katara brushed a dark strand of hair from Zuko's forehead and his eyes fluttered.

"What happened?"

She smiled. No one else was in the room.

"You just collapsed. Must've been from the long day."

He shook his head as she turned away, humming. It was more than that. In his vision, he had seen the Earth Kingdom city of Shian being destroyed. He had to stop it. That was the Earth Kingdom's last supply city in the west.

Quickly, Zuko tossed back the covers on his bed and crossed the room, dressing quickly. Katara turned back around and dropped the tea she'd been preparing.

"What are you doing?"

"I have to go. Shian is going to be attacked."

"Then tell Lord Mako. You can't go running off."

Zuko shook his head. "I have to do this alone."

Katara shook her head with equal enthusiasm. "At least let us go with you."

Zuko spun around. "The Avatar must stay here and train and he needs you. All of you."

Katara rushed forward and placed a hand on each of Zuko's arm, effecting blocking him from the door.

"I won't let you go! Can I not trust you for a moment not to go running off to get yourself killed? You ran off to Taiyoo and now!"

Zuko grabbed her shoulders and forcefully moved her to the side. Tears filling her eyes, she spun around, her anger getting the best of her. .

"I'm going, Katara."

"Then I don't give a…a damn if you never come back from Shian!"

He stopped halfway out the door and looked back sadly at her. She raised her hand in surprise and covered her mouth. Silent tears spilled over and fell down her cheeks.

"Katara,"

She shook her head and raised a hand. "Just go."

He turned and met her gaze. For a moment they just stared at each other, half of her hoping he'd leave and the other only praying he would break his gaze away first. He did need neither.

Stepping quickly, he crossed the room, knocked her head away and grasped her head in both hands, pulling her towards her and kissed her forcefully, hungrily.

Katara gasped and responded with the same fervor as the first night she'd ever kissed Zuko. And like that first time, his kiss was desperate, hungry, fierce, but this time it was more confident.

She tried to raise her hands to wrap around his neck but he caught them in his own. He walked forward, pushing her backwards until she hit the wall. A gasp of pain was masked by a gasp of surprise as he lightly nipped her neck, pulling her hands above her head.

Katara bit her lip as he played down her neck and back up to her lips. She suddenly found that the only thing holding her up was his weight pushing her into the wall. It was a dangerous position to be in but she didn't mind. Her heart was pounding so fast she was sure he could hear it.

She felt something fall into place above her, the sound of silk over silk, and then he pulled away.

"I know it now. I love you, Katara, and that is why I cannot let you go with me. I cannot risk you being hurt."

Zuko turned and walked away. Katara tried to follow him but found her hands tied above her head into the silk curtains.

"Zuko! Zuko, wait! Please let us go with you! Please listen to me! Wait just a little bit longer!"

But he was gone, the door swinging shut behind him.

Tears spilling once more, Katara jerked forward against her bonds.

"_ZUKO!"_

* * *

Ziri sat alone in his cell. The man named Jee had gone to get someone named Iroh who was supposed to help. It was less than an hour until dawn.

The Qiäng was sitting in his lap, like a voice whispering in his ear.

"It's no use," he said. "I can't understand you."

The voice fell silent, almost sighing.

"You'll be in danger when I die."

The voice began whispering again and Ziri sighed. He reached deep into his mind and touched the severed link between him and his brother, his _twin_ brother.

"You belong to him, not me. I wish you could go to him."

When he opened his eyes, the Qiäng was gone and he knew it had gone to Zuko. With a smile, Ziri sat back against the cool wall.

"I am happy with what I have done in my life. I think I can die in peace."

* * *

The dawn crept over the horizon and Jee could not find the general anywhere. He'd been all over the Inner and Middle Ring and his ventures into the Outer Ring had ended in disaster.

"Kuso, it's almost dawn and I can't find General Iroh anywhere! I have to get back to Ziri before it's…oh no…"

For just then the trumpets sounded a crowd gathered at the street and there the procession went through. They moved slowly, all dressed in the white of mourning. Despite his supposed label of traitor, Ziri would be executed with honor and buried with his family. It was all they could do for a royal family member.

The prisoner did not seem horrified by his fate. In fact, he was watching the sun rise with a smile.

Ziri watched the sun rise, committing every slight shift in color to memory. The soldiers in front and behind him made no effort to force him to look away or to make him move faster. They seemed more depressed about this than he was. The chains that held his arms behind his back barely registered in his mind. He looked down to the crowd and they were somber as well.

There was a woman with silken black hair and impossibly blue eyes that followed him. She was dressed in a black cloak and dress and when her dress shifted, he could see she was barefoot. For every step he took she mimicked him, right up to the hill.

The chains on his wrists were locked to a metal platform loaded with wood. He was facing the sunrise.

In the background, as if from another world, he heard a man.

"Today, Zuko, son of Ozai and Ursa, will be surrendered to the flames of his birth as a condemned traitor and for attempted assassination of the Fire Lord."

Another man, one dressed as a Sage, stepped forward and drew a symbol on his forehead in some type of oil.

"Agni is with you, child."

Ziri blinked and looked at the Sage. "Please move. I cannot see the sun."

The Sage blinked in surprise and then stepped back.

The woman was there and Ziri barely felt the flames consuming his body as he stared into her eyes.

"_Just let go, Ziri. I will find you again. I promise." _

Ziri smiled and closed his eyes.

* * *


	27. The Wolf Inside

**Pre-AN #1:** A 'cut' Ki-Lin is one that has had its alicorn, or horn, cut off.

**Pre-AN #2:** I stole balefire from Robert Jordan. He can come and kill me for it later. For those who haven't read The Wheel of Time series, balefire is a banned magic because it literally rips the person from the Pattern of Life. The more powerful the balefire the further back the person is removed. Things they have done are reversed as if they never were. In short, balefire is very bad.

**Pre-AN #3: **I can't remember this one for some reason…re-reads Oh yeah! An odachi is a very big sword about as wide as your hand and about six feet long. If you watch Bleach, Ichigo's original Zankupatoh is an odachi.

**Pre-AN #4:** Yes, Ryan, I'm copying your style. About the ANs, not the following. If you don't like songs in a fanfics, don't read the last bit. There were a few songs that fueled this chapter and I put them in to kind of round out the end.

**Pre-AN #5: **I don't own "What is this feeling?" from Wicked.

* * *

"We humans fear the beast within the wolf because we do not understand the beast within ourselves."

-- Gerald Hausman

**

* * *

**

Chapter 27: The Wolf Inside

When Shiroten awoke he was back in the Water Temple but this time he wasn't surprised by Zyperis' presence. As always, the sorcerer was lying beside him playing with a strand of his hair.

"Good morning, Aniki,"

Zyperis flinched and sat up, surprised that he didn't realize that Shiroten was awake.

"Good morning," he said, standing. "I should go let Nen know you're awake."

He walked quickly towards the door and Shiroten sat up.

"Is something wrong, Zyperis?"

Zyperis turned and for a moment could not decide. Then he walked forward and sat down on the edge of the bed facing Shiroten.

Shiroten blinked. Zyperis was only inches from his face and was looking at him strangely. Slowly, the sorcerer began leaning closer. Then, just as suddenly, he stopped and stood.

"Nothing's wrong, Shiroten. Are you hungry?"

Shiroten nodded and grinned. "Starved."

Zyperis nodded. "Meet me in the kitchen where you're dressed."

As always it was a strange breakfast but Shiroten didn't mind. There was some reason, some bond that made it so Zyperis didn't need to eat and didn't feel hunger or thirst or fatigue, but the elder had taken up a habit of watching Shiroten as he ate.

A soft smile played on Zyperis' face while Shiroten watched him. He rested his head on his folded hands and let his eyes drift close. Maybe he could enjoy this just a little bit longer.

That day Zyperis left both Shiroten and Sainan at the temple and took one of the cut Ki-Lin at a dead gallop to the city he had just left.

No one harmed Shiroten and lived to speak of it. He would destroy the Fire Princess and her lover if he had to burn Tasha to do so.

* * *

Zuko stood on the hill with the walls of Tasha just barely visible. He turned to the west and watched the sun play on the water. Somewhere, beyond that horizon, was his home. Last night, he had dreamed he was there.

_Gleaming in the moonlight_

_Cool and clear and all I've ever known_

_All I've ever wanted_

_Sweet perfumes of incense_

_Sweet rooms of alabaster stone_

_All I ever wanted _

_This is my home_

_With my father, mother, sister_

_Oh so noble, oh so strong_

_Now I am home_

_And if anybody doubts it_

_They couldn't be any more wrong_

_Surely this is all I ever wanted_

_All I ever wanted…_

_All I…ever…wanted…_

* * *

Katara moved her foot a little to the left and the ball of water from the pitcher moved a little closer. The tiny movement she could get from her fingers helped a bit. She managed to get the water frozen into a flat ice disc. Bringing it sharply towards her, it cut through the curtains above her and quickly she freed her hands and ran, pushing the door open before her and sprinting down the hall after Zuko.

"_Please…please let him still be here." _

She rushed into Azula's room where she was sitting in front of the window with Ty Lee and Mai nearby.

"Azula, have you seen Zuko?"

Azula shook her head. Her hair had been cut very short but the back had been spiked out straight and her bangs were still there. It actually looked very good.

"I haven't seen him at all. I thought you were taking care of him this morning."

Katara didn't wait for Azula to finish how ever. She had turned and was out the door at 'haven't.'

* * *

It was heaven to run again. When Korosu had shown up that dawn and asked her a favor, she hadn't hesitated to gather him onto her back and take off.

He was actually an excellent rider and she credited it to her wings to have thrown him off at first. His hands were wound up in her mane and she ran through the forest as if it were a clear cut path.

"Are you running from someone?"

She felt him shake his head

* * *

. I have to save them, Kagehi."

"Where are we going?"

"Shian,"

In the depths of her memory she remembered the Earth Kingdom city and altered her steps.

"Can we be there by morning?" he inquired and she answered in the affirmative. When the trees cleared she launched herself up and threw her wings out to catch the wind. She felt Korosu tense at first and then relax.

"Rest, it will be a while."

A moment later he rested his head on her neck and slept.

* * *

Katara found Aang training in the arena with Toph. The young Avatar was having a tough time with earth-bending but Toph was an earnest teacher, if a bit harsh. Midori seemed to have fallen for an Earth Kingdom lord's son and was nowhere to be seen. Sokka took one look at his sister's flushed face and stood swiftly.

"Katara, what's wrong?"

"Zuko,"

Aang turned from Toph and they both hurried over. Sokka supported Katara as she caught her breath and she quickly related the whole story, leaving out the part of Zuko kissing her and leaving her tied up and skipping to when he left.

"Why would he go without us? He should know we've got his back now."

Katara shook her head. Aang tensed, thinking of the conversation he'd had with Zuko just the night before. He grabbed his staff from where it lay against the wall.

"We've got to go after him."

Just then a soldier burst into the hall.

"My Lords and Ladies, Tasha is under attack!"

The four of them rushed up to the battlements and Katara gasped. Thousands upon thousands of Fire Nation stood at the gate, advancing steadily towards the walls of Tasha. Tanks and catapults moved in without fail despite Tasha's resistance.

Tasha's new Commander, Liang, ran over to them.

"We had no warning. Our sentries never saw them coming."

"An army this enormous can't move without being seen." Sokka stated.

Liang placed a hand on his forehead and Katara noticed how young he was, maybe just a year older than Zuko.

"We still have men coming from their homes. Please, will you help?"

Aang stood up straighter. "Of course."

Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai reached the battlements and the brightly dressed gymnast gestured out past the Fire Nation soldiers to the edge of the tree line. Azula grimaced as she recognized the figure.

"Peris,"

* * *

Zyperis sat tall on the cut Ki-Lin. Though he had taken up the Fire Nation armor he usually wore, he abandoned their traditions for the rest of him, the wind that blew in dark rain clouds blowing his now loose black hair forward into his face. He had eyes only for Jet, who was below in the ranks fighting on the ground.

He dismounted easily and the wind gave an extra burst, with it came the first hints of rain. Jet turned with his new hook-swords in hand and saw the Fire Nation commander coming towards him and stepped back, assuming a defensive stance. Zyperis reached for his sword-belt and drew out the obsidian blade that Shiroten had made for him.

The Maiden of the Night trembled in his hand as he brought it forward to guard. She was as eager for the Earth Kingdom rebel's blood as he was.

At that moment, the rain came pouring from the sky in torrents.

* * *

Eimin stepped around his newest servant.

"What are you going to do?"

"Destroy the Northern Water Tribe."

"Who will you leave alive?"

"No one."

"And if you encounter one of your peers?"

Samir raised his head, brilliant red eyes shining forward.

"I will kill them."

* * *

Shiroten felt too small trapped in the Fire Nation armor but the army was taking his commands as if he were Zyperis. The air-benders in the Achlys Mountains would die today and fuel his father's army.

Kioko sat on the back of her dragon, Kiro. The Fire Nation onslaught wouldn't stop and they hadn't even stopped coming over the hill. She loosened the Köu from her arm and nudged Kiro into the air.

Shiroten watched the red dragon take to the sky and Sainan needed no urging to take to the sky, soaring up into the rain to meet the smaller dragon in combat. The two dragons twisted and spun in the air, Sainan raking at Kiro with much larger claws than the younger dragon sported and with experience on his side as well.

With a particularly violent twist that Sainan forced Kiro into, Kioko fell to the ground and landed with a harsh cry. Her ankle twisted beneath her but she stood against it anyway.

Shiroten followed her to the ground, tossing his helmet to the side and drawing the shadows that the thunderclouds offered him.

Kioko's gaze fell on him and she spun the Kou, its light cutting a knife through the darkness.

As above them their dragons faced off, the Daughter of Kaia faced the First Shadow-bender.

The rain began pouring down in sheets driven by the wind.

* * *

Zuko's steed pounded against the muddy ground and he wiped his wet bangs away from his eyes. He didn't need to see but focusing on the world around him kept his mind from thinking too hard about what Peris had said.

_I don't need a father, Agni nor Ozai, Neither of them. I have Katara and I have the people. I can be everything without a father. _

"_Oh really?"_

Zuko's head jerked up in surprise and his steed came to a halt. He stared off into the woods, his eyes narrowing.

"Who's there?"

"_No one of consequence, and on the other hand, your entire life depends on me. Come here."_

Compelled, Zuko slid from the slick bareback of his steed and walked forward, shielding his eyes from the rain. There in the mud before him was a gold staff. He couldn't quite make out the characters written in the lacquer but he still knelt down and brushed away the fallen leaves and dirt from the staff.

"_It's time to fight, Son of Agni." _

"Who are you?"

"_When the time comes, you will know."_

Zuko picked up the staff and tucked it into the waist of his pants. The mare shook her head as he returned to her. Quickly, they were off again.

* * *

Katara joined the battle on the ground, she and Midori bending wave after wave from the bay onto the field while Aang used his new found earth-bending alongside of Toph. The two were in perfect unison.

Katara's bending would've been better if she could stop worrying about Zuko.

Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee were fighting their way through the crowds of fire-benders.

Sparks flew where their blades met but Jet could not match the obsidian hatred that poured from Zyperis' blade. Forced back for the fourth time, Jet stood gasping.

"Whatever you are, you aren't human."

Zyperis shook his head to clear his soaked bangs from his eyes, his body trembling from adrenaline rather than fatigue. He brought the Maiden above his head, her onyx surface gleaming.

"I was once. A long time ago, but such memories are of no consequence now. You fight as a human, now die as one!"

He brought the Maiden down with all his strength. Jet brought his hook-swords up to block. For a moment, they held but then the Maiden's obsidian blade cut straight through the simple metals. Jet gritted his teeth, watching the blade come down. A sharp pain in his forehead and then Katara was there.

Zyperis picked himself up from the water-blast he hadn't seen coming. The Maiden was screaming with his anger.

Katara and Jet both stood quickly, Jet bleeding from a deep cut on his forehead. Katara heard screaming in the wind and turned to face their fallen opponent.

Zyperis wiped away a small amount of blood from his lip, the rain falling heavy on them.

Azula stopped, all around them, the moment Zyperis had fallen, so had every single Fire Nation soldier. Now, as he stood, every soldier stood as well.

Even those already slain.

Zyperis met Katara's gaze and she trembled, strengthening her stance as she gritted her teeth.

"You cannot destroy an army already dead."

Katara started forward but Jet stuck out an arm.

"He's after me for some reason, Katara. Stay…"

"Some reason!" Zyperis shouted. "You nearly killed Shiroten! You interfered into a Korei no Uso! By any law, you should be dead already, Son of Samir!"

With the Maiden in his hand, arm flung straight out, Zyperis charged forward. Instead of meeting him blade to blade, Jet rushed forward and tackled the Prince of Darkness, forgetting momentarily about the Hiketsu.

The Maiden was lodged in the earth as the two rolled down the hill and into the bay.

Jet found he'd bitten off a little more than he could chew. Before he could even get his bearings in the shallow water, Zyperis grabbed his head by the hair and forced him under the water. The Earth Kingdom rebel fought desperately but the sorcerer's arms were like iron.

Zyperis once again found himself being caught off-guard by Katara's bending, so focused was he on the annihilation of his hate.

Picking himself back up, Katara tensed as somehow the devilish blade had made it back into his hands.

She could hear it screaming and her blood ran cold as Zyperis' gaze met hers.

"I've had about enough of you."

One moment he was standing there, the next he was gone. Katara stepped back, gazing about her wildly, looking for him.

Jet gasped out enough air to shout. "Katara! He's behind you!"

Katara turned just in time for the blade of the Maiden to slice across her stomach instead of directly through her back. The wound was shallow she noted as she slid to a stop but Zyperis shifted directions easily, bringing the Maiden up easily to slash at her.

She diverted the attack with a blade of ice she quickly made but the Maiden sliced easily through it, rendering it useless for further defense. All Katara could do was dodge the lightning-fast attacks.

Time slowed down until Katara stepped back to avoid another attack and her foot went through the rain-soaked earth. Feeling the hollow beneath her, Zyperis gave the earth a nudge and it collapsed beneath her.

Katara fell onto hard stone, her ankle twisting beneath her and she fell to her knees. Around her were what appeared to be ancient ruins and she remembered Toph telling her about what was supposed to be an ancient Earth Kingdom temple beneath the city of Tasha. She saw Zyperis standing at the edge of the hole and him leaping down to continue their battle.

* * *

Kagehi reached the other side of the vast lake and her front hooves hit the earth.

* * *

Shiroten raised a band of shadow to block Kioko's attack.

* * *

Azula turned to blast a Fire Nation tank with her lightning as Ty Lee flipped over her head.

* * *

Zuko leaned back as his steed landed from a jump over a fallen tree.

* * *

Agni came in sight of the Northern Water Tribe.

* * *

Haru pulled the hood of his cloak up to protect his face from the driving rain and looked behind him to check on the younger ones.

* * *

And then time stopped.

* * *

Kanna heard her brother's voice in her ears as she stepped from Aye into the Land of the Dead.

_Save the Spirit of the Four. Come into your birthright. This is the task that the Powers That Be have chosen for you. _

Only a Ki-Lin could cross over. Only a Ki-Lin could resurrect a dead spirit.

She was a Ki-Lin.

In her true form she stepped delicately over the razor sharp rocks, slippery from the constant water that flowed down. Slowly, it seemed, she descended into the depths of the Seven Hells.

The first gate was deserted and the gate-keeper barely paid her a glance. An animated skeleton it was, clad in a torn and dirty black robe, it watched her pass with empty eye sockets. She didn't even turn to look at it.

The next three gates were unguarded but at the fifth was a young girl with blonde curls all over her head. When she looked up, the lids of her eyes opened to reveal solid black eyes. Kanna closed her own eyes and kept walking forward.

At the sixth gate, souls were gathered, waiting to enter their eternal home. The crowd parted for her without ever really seeing her.

The gate was cracked and falling apart, the gate-keeper taking names with an eternally moving hand. Kanna passed through the gate and paused just inside.

The Sixth Level was completely empty.

Then he came, crashing from the hole at the ceiling and pouring himself over the ground before her.

It was him, the demon and Seventh Gate-keeper, Ayushmati.

His form was as sick and twisted as his master, Eimin's. He twisted and turned over an insect-like body. Wherever he moved a yellow trail was left, burning into the ground like acid.

"What do you want, Ki-Lin?"

Kanna narrowed her sapphire eyes. "You need not ask."

He lunged down from the crevice he'd taken hold off, screaming down for her. She dodged the blow and ran, ducking under the upraised curves of his serpentine body. There was no defeating the demon, if she could just make the gate.

* * *

Ziri followed the flow of the river, walking slowly as if he had all the time in the world. It had been shallow in the first levels but here the river was very swift and very deep. He walked along its edge, not quite ready to continue on.

An elderly man was sitting next to the river, apparently fishing. He whistled calmly and Ziri stopped next to him.

"Not sure where you're going, young man?"

Ziri shook his head. "I think I'm waiting for someone."

The man shook his head. "Sometimes they do that, waiting for their loved ones to join them. Here, sit by me."

Ziri sat down and watched the river run by. He watched as the soul of a young woman caught onto the man's fishing line and pulled herself out of the river. She then walked on, never looking back.

The man nodded as the woman disappeared around a bend.

"She'll be back. They always come back."

"Where's she going?"

"She thinks she can get out of here by getting out of the river. She's not ready to stay."

"She'll be a ghost?"

"She'll try. But she'll be back. They always come back."

Ziri nodded and continued watching the river flow. He lost all track of time and somehow he began to feel time as if it were the river in front of him, flowing smoothly but never stopping for anything, never really changing pace.

The old man looked up and saw a Ki-Lin walking towards them.

"Don't see many of you here nowadays."

The Ki-lin smiled as Ki-Lin do and motioned to Ziri. Ziri stood and placed a hand on the Ki-Lin's shoulder. The old man nodded and turned back to the river.

* * *

On a hill in the Fire Nation, a woman appeared. A moment later, a young man appeared beside her.

Waiting, as she had told them to, were Iroh and Jee. She had only two words for them.

"Protect him."

* * *

Time sped up.

* * *

Shiroten blocked Kioko's attack and counterattacked.

* * *

Kagehi landed and continued running through the woods and into the open.

* * *

Zuko came at last from the woods and out into a meadow, the great city of Shian lying in front of him, the attack already having begun.

* * *

Agni landed on the outer wall of the Northern Water Tribe and roared, the Fire Nation ships trembling in the wake.

* * *

Azula fought her way to Jet and pulled him from the water.

* * *

Katara lunged forward to her feet and ran into the ruins, conscious of Zyperis steps behind her. Lying on a stone in front of her was a sheathed katana, the hilt wrapped in blue cloth.

"_Draw me, Katara!" _

Katara didn't hesitate, grabbing the katana from the stone and drawing it out. The characters down the opaque blade screamed.

_Forged to be wielded by the Daughter of Nen_

Katara held the Kün, the Blade of One Thousands Waves.

Zyperis stopped, bringing the Maiden up in front of him to guard and watched the girl in front of him tremble. True she was the Daughter of Nen but there was no way she could defeat him in swordplay.

* * *

Zuko drew the Qiäng from his belt and held it forward, the blades screaming forth from each end and urged his steed into the midst of the battle.

* * *

Jet placed a hand on the Hiketsu as he and Azula raced back into the battle, side by side.

* * *

Kioko whipped the Shöu forward to block the shadows screaming for her throat.

* * *

Far away, in no discernible place or dimension, a voice sounded.

"_**It is time." **_

"**_Ysteleperion,"_**

"_**Ondaledaishiron,"**_

"_**Entendarion,"**_

"_**Sentarshaidenn,"**_

"_**Jaermaiyan,"**_

"_**Laifstelria,"**_

"_**Korinthaidan,"**_

"_**Hear our voices loud and strong you children of those forgotten now. Forget the past and who you were and become who you were born to be. Dreams, memories, and power infinite are no longer strands beyond your reach. Go forth and claim the right of your birth and let no one stand before you! Accept the fate that awaits you. Bear not any word of refuse. Hear our voices as we speak you children of those forgotten now we implore. Forget the past and who you were and now become the Four."**_

A light appeared in the sky, swirling in brilliance. Everywhere, people turned and looked up, the rain clouds being no hindrance to the aura. It spun for a moment at that point in the sky, a calm vortex, and then began to separate into five spires, a coordinating color for each element.

The light exploded, blinding all those nearby and sending each spire off across the countries.

The blue and white lights collided over Tasha, sending a second explosion over the earth. Jet felt the power welling up in him as the white light absorbed into the Hiketsu and from there spiraled over him, clothing him in its beauty. It paled his skin, eyes, and hair, wiping his mind off the past and the Son of Samir was born.

* * *

Shiroten was forced back as the green light poured down from the heavens, running like water over Hibari, over both armies, and into Kioko. She raised her head to the sky and let it flow over her. Because of her acceptance and knowledge of her fate, she was the Daughter of Kaia and always had been.

* * *

Fire's light roared down and engulfed Zuko as he clung to his ride. Above the battle, the light clothed him and the warring nations below stopped in awe as they saw him. The grievances of his past were washed away in the brilliant blaze and the Son of Agni was born.

* * *

Katara surrendered to the light the moment she felt its power sweeping over her, letting it have her and hold her as her element so often did. She gave no hindrance to it and the Daughter of Nen was born.

The light disappeared from the sky but the damage was done.

The Daughter of Nen raised the Kun over her head and tiny beads of light began to gather at its tip.

Zyperis watched the light with growing apprehension. Something was wrong. The girl's power had just skyrocketed.

Swirls of water came from nowhere, centering on the Kun.

"Rage, Kouryo!"

She brought the Kun down with all the strength in her body and torrents of water came from somewhere in the ruins, a raging river with only one target: Zyperis.

The Spirit Elemental he had for Water couldn't stand up to the fury of the Daughter of Nen. He stood for barely a minute against the surging inundation before he disappeared beneath the flood.

The Son of Samir stepped onto the rock outcrop by the bay of Tasha. He raised his hand, the Hiketsu glowing fiercely.

"Siege, Kazearashi."

A tornado of wind blew over the army of Fire Nation soldiers, crushing what little spirit they had left, an army of undead falling to the ground, empty without their master.

* * *

The Son of Agni dismounted his steed and walked into the midst of the battle which had continued to rage around him. The storm crashed around them, the wind whipping them all. He raised the Qiäng over his head. The lightning that had already made its voice heard throughout the storm cracked and split the sky, drawn to the Qiäng.

Slowly, the Son of Agni brought the Qiäng down, holding it horizontally out in front of him.

"Burn, Hiraishin."

Lightning exploded between earth and sky, devastating the Fire Nation army at Shian.

* * *

Shiroten forced himself to his feet, holding a spear that one of the Fire Nation soldiers had dropped.

The Daughter of Kaia lowered her gaze to him, the Shou spinning in her hand rapidly, past sight. He shucked the Fire Nation armor, throwing it to the ground. The light burned at his skin but he ignored the violent pain and ran forward, never hesitating with the spear at his side.

She raised her hand towards him as he ran.

"Roar, Te…"

Kioko choked on the name, the light blown away from her, her eyes wide. Slowly, she looked down at the spear protruding from her chest. Shiroten gasped with the effort of running and the pain of the light. Her head snapped up and their gaze met.

A single tear fell from her green eyes as her anger softened.

"I pitied you."

Shiroten jerked the spear back, a sick tearing sound as it came free of her flesh.

"You shouldn't have."

Kiro spiraled down out of the sky as Sainan dealt his death stroke. Kioko fell to her knees and crumpled, dead before she hit the ground.

Sainan landed behind the tired shadow-bender, shielding him from the light with a wing.

Shiroten sighed. "Take me away from here, Sainan…onegai."

Sainan gave a low rumble, deep in his chest, almost soothing. Shiroten turned to mount into the leather saddle fitted high on the dragon's shoulders when the world spun beneath him. Sainan caught him in a claw and Shiroten rolled onto his hands and knees. There he was violently sick.

* * *

Arasoi led Li and King Bumi onto the fields just north of Tasha. Li cried out at the ruined Taiyoo but 'Yashamaru' was silent.

King Bumi watched him as he ran his fingers over the feathers of a bow.

Li turned. "Yashamaru…what are you doing?"

'Yashamaru' spun and let the arrow fly, busting the lock off of King Bumi's prison. Throwing down the cursed bow, he hit the earth with his foot, knocking up a boulder and hurling it forward into Li. The poor Yuu-Yan was unconscious before he hit the ground.

Bumi knocked the door out and stepped quickly onto the earth. His silent eyes urged Arasoi to hurry, but he ran to Li. Quickly, he pulled the archer over his shoulders and then he ran silently began Bumi.

* * *

Haru grabbed the two children nearest him as the world reversed itself. Others around him followed his example, falling to their knees on the ground. He sheltered the two boys with his body as the wind tore at the world.

* * *

The Son of Agni raised a hand against the wind, blocking his eyes, and looked to the north through red-lined eyes. The light still flowed through him and he felt the Daughter of Kaia's death in his very soul.

A few of the Fire Nation soldiers not killed by his first blow rushed forward and he turned, a grave look on his face.

"For her," he whispered, his voice warping slightly.

The Qiäng was tucked in his obi and he brought his arms from behind him forward, almost as a water-bender. The earth beneath him melted and he spun it, using the momentum to lift it high above himself. It rolled down around him, spinning in a large circle. He then lifted it in a large column.

A man with white hair and two scars over his eye came rushing forward.

"Stop it!" the man shouted.

With one hand, the Son of Agni upheld the column and lowered a hand towards the man.

The man felt a pushing deep inside him. The Son of Agni was forcing him back by bending his inner fire.

"Stop it!" The man shouted again. "What good is it to kill them?"

"They'll destroy the city."

The Son of Agni flung the man across the field and brought the column crashing down, bending it from the city and over the army.

The white-haired man closed his eyes and walked forward.

Sensing an enemy, the Son of Agni turned to face him. The air around him began to super-heat, swirling, creating a whirlwind with him at the vortex.

The white-haired man forced his way through but instead of attacking or trying to restrain the Son, he wrapped his arms around him, embracing him, pulling the boy's head to his chest.

"Be still,"

The whirlwind raged for a moment more and then died away. The boy fell limp in his arms.

Jeong-Jeong looked at the boy, pushing away his wet black bangs from his eyes. He could've been the Fire Prince except he wasn't scarred. He picked him up, cradling him gently, and walked back to where his army stood bleakly, staring at the destroyed Fire Nation army in awe.

Hakoda stepped forward from the ranks, barely discernable from the others covered in blood, sweat, and mud.

"Who is he?"

Jeong-Jeong stopped and looked at him. "He is the strongest fire-bender I have ever seen."

* * *

Agni viewed the Fire Nation army as it moved on the Northern Water Tribe. He fluttered his wings, his gaze narrow for a moment until it widened in horror.

From behind the ships rose a very familiar form.

It was a silver eagle with red eyes.

"Samir," Agni whispered.

Samir rose into the clouds, gaining height with every burst of wind. At last he turned and hovered over the ice for a moment, glaring at the golden dragon so far below and then he pulled his wings flat against his body and fell, screaming through the air.

Agni leapt from the wall and Samir threw his wings open, chasing the dragon into the skies above the battle between Fire and Water.

The Fire God cried to his peer but the eagle could not or would not answer. They tore through the air, dodging, attacking, and counterattacking.

Spinning, Agni knocked Samir back with his tail and then shot a spire of flame into the nearest Fire Nation ship before Samir was upon him again, landing on his back and tearing at him with claws and beak.

Agni screamed and thrashed as Samir hooked his claws into the poor dragon's back, carrying him swiftly over the Northern Water Tribe and dropped him. Agni fell and crashed into the icy buildings, rolling to a stop.

In the destruction, he reverted to his human form unwillingly.

A young Water Tribe girl ran out from where she was hiding with her family to pull him to his feet. Agni quickly pushed her out of the way as Samir appeared from nowhere in his human form and grabbed him by the neck.

Holding him at least a foot above the ground, Samir glared at the Fire God.

"Don't make this too easy, Agni."

Agni narrowed his gaze, forcing his body to completely relax.

"I don't have to tell you Eimin has a hold on you Samir, but kill me if you wish. I won't stop you."

The girl watched, biting her lip in distress as the Air God fought in his own mind. Slowly, very slowly, the red glow disappeared from the air-bender's eyes and they became storm-gray again.

"Agni?"

Agni smiled. "Um, could you let me go, Samir?"

Samir quickly released him and placed a hand on his forehead. "I feel so…so…strange."

"Do you feel well enough to help me save the Water Tribe?"

"We do."

Mamoru and Kaia appeared, side by side and arm in arm. Samir smiled for a moment before losing his balance and nearly falling, but Agni caught him.

"Maybe you should stay here."

The girl stood quickly.

"Kira, Safie,"

Two girls came out from the hut and the three of them helped the exhausted Samir into the hut.

The three gods then continued on to the gate of the Water Tribe. They stood just outside the city calmly.

While Agni blocked all the fireballs with a similar technique to Zuko's, Mamoru and Kaia worked to stop the fleet all together. Their movements were perfectly in sync and together they raised the earth beneath the ships. With nothing to hold them up, the ships tottered and collapsed into each other in a domino effect.

Kaia turned to her husband shyly and he smiled at her, brushing back her hair to gently kiss her lips.

Agni ran a hand through the icy water, ignoring its chill and thinking.

"Your people are safe, my beautiful Shasa. Take care of yourself now. I love you, forever and always."

* * *

Nen rushed onto the destructive scene of Tasha. She felt the power washing over her from her daughter and dismounted her ride quickly. Her steps were unsteady as she rushed over the ground, moving hurriedly to the buried Earth Kingdom temple where she felt Katara's aura.

As she leapt into the hole, another aura swept over her, nearly choking her.

Zyperis pushed himself up slowly, the Maiden lying inches from his hand but he did not reach for her. He breathed deeply through an open mouth, his eyes blazing in anger.

Nen stared in horror at him as he stood, frozen in fear. This was his power, only his power, drawn from no supernatural force. This was his Spirit!

"Zyperis," she tried to shout, to draw his attention, but her voice came out as barely a squeak.

A small sphere glowed at his palm as he and the Daughter of Nen faced each other down. The sphere lengthened, glowing softly a deep reddish orange, until it reached the size of a odachi.

"Zyperis, stop!" Nen shouted but the tear in the Pattern shattered against her, ripping her words from her mouth.

He took the hilt of the sword in both hands, running forward with the blade out to one side. As he ran, the blade tore a seam through the Pattern of time.

The Daughter of Nen raised the Kun to block but Nen knew it would be no match against balefire.

The blade was swung forward, knocking the Kun from her hands with its first blow and Zyperis easily changed directions, swinging down for her throat.

Somehow, he managed to stop the blade in time.

Sokka, having run forward to find Katara, stood in shock.

His mother stood between the fire-bender and Katara. For some reason, the fire-bender had stopped his attack, the blade less than an inch from his mother's neck.

The shock of her appearance had nearly pushed Zyperis into his normal state of mind but he was too surprised to release the balefire.

"Nen…Nen, you…you would step in front of _balefire!?"_

Nen narrowed her gaze, needing to reach the part of Zyperis that she knew didn't truly want to kill her daughter and those around her. He was angry but he loved her, like a son loved his mother, he loved her.

Sokka skidded down the hill, getting close enough to hear what they were saying just in time to hear his mother's next words.

"Zyperis, you would have done the same if it were I wielding the sword and Shiroten I moved to kill."

Zyperis took a step back, trembling, and closed his eyes. Slowly, the balefire slipped out of existence. The spirit of the Daughter of Nen left Katara and she collapsed as Zyperis sighed and fell limp into Nen's arms. Sokka rushed forward and caught his sister.

Nen looked sadly into her son's wondering eyes as her true form flowed over her. A moment later, she and Zyperis were gone, leaving the people of Tasha to pick up their lives once more.

* * *

Eimin paced down the hall in the Sozun palace outside the door where the Water Goddesses were tending to his children.

Shasa came out, quietly closing the door behind her, her usual robes stretched with her stomach.

"How are both of them incapacitated when they _won _the battle!?"

Shasa sighed, one hand on her stomach. "Battles are both won and lost, Eimin."

* * *

Nen pulled the blanket up on Shiroten and then checked the curtains to make sure they were completely closed. Zyperis was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking down at the young shadow-bender.

He had just told her the truth.

Nen wiped a single tear from her eye.

"If it weren't for me, Nen, he would never be in such pain."

He closed his eyes and turned from the fallen angel lying on the bed, resting his head in his hands. Nen walked over and let him rest his head on her stomach. Listening to the sobs that wracked the Dark Prince, Nen brushed her hand through his hair and held him close.

She thought of Sokka and Katara, of the look on her son's face when he saw her at Tasha, the mother he thought was dead. She thought of Hakoda.

"They say when you love someone to let them go, but sometimes that is the hardest part."

* * *

Jet and Katara were each bedded down in their respective bedrooms. Outside, Aang and Toph worked with the other earth-benders to restore the city. Through the eastern window in Jet's bedroom you could see the smoke from the funeral pyres of the Fire Nation soldiers. Lord Mako had believed they deserved a proper funeral, Fire Nation or not.

Jet woke, his eyes slowly adjusting to the light. A certain Fire Princess was asleep by his side and he smiled at her form and brushed a strand of hair from her face.

Katara opened her eyes and closed them again. She was alone.

* * *

Shiroten woke slowly. He remembered dimly Sainan carrying him to a place he'd never been before but he recognized it as being somewhere in the Fire Nation. He remembered Nen and Shasa helping him to a bed.

He tried to open his eyes but they felt as if they were weighed down. It seemed to take forever just for them to open. When he finally could see, he was immediately blinded by light.

Sitting up sharply, he blocked his eyes with an arm and backed against the head of the bed, trying to escape the light.

But he felt no pain.

Slowly, he lowered his arm and his eyes adjusted to the light, a light he hadn't looked comfortably on in years. Then his gaze shifted to the still upraised arm.

The still upraised _tan_ arm.

Shiroten sat up, holding both hands in front of his face. Instead of the pale skin he was used to, his skin was dark, tan, Earth Kingdom skin.

He removed the bandage on his arm and the blood from the cut ran red, not black. He tossed back the blankets and ran across the room to a mirror.

Green eyes stared back at him, eyes framed by shaggy brown hair. Tan hands pressed the new skin when he moved his hands and those green eyes blinked when he blinked.

He was pure again.

Earth Kingdom clothing was laid out for him on a nearby chair and he quickly dressed, feeling out of place, surrounded by Fire Nation finery.

Stepping tentatively into the next room, he looked around and saw no one.

"You will be escorted to the border by several of my Elite guards."

Shiroten spun around to see Zyperis, standing at the window in Fire Nation colors, a smaller version of the Fire Lord's crown tucked into his topknot. Zyperis was standing almost pointedly with his back to him.

"Zyperis, what…"

Zyperis turned and met his gaze. His face was hard and his eyes sparked, but his lip twitched and Shiroten could see something was wrong.

"I want you to leave."

Shiroten blinked. "Am I not strong enough for Father? I did kill the Daughter of Kaia, isn't that…"

Then he stopped, Zyperis' words truly registering with him. His eyes widened.

"You said…"

Zyperis gritted his teeth to keep his face from betraying him.

"Yes, Shiroten, _I _am the one who wants you to leave."

"But why? Zyperis…nii-san…"

"You are not my brother…and you never were."

Shiroten stopped, staring in surprise.

"What do you mean? Eimin…stole me from my real family?"

"No, I did."

Time seemed to stop. Shiroten couldn't believe, wouldn't.

"The man you saw the night you left home was I. The man who took the light of your soul was I. I am the source of your pain. I should bear your hatred and no one else."

Shiroten blinked, trying and failing to understand.

"But Zyperis…you…I…why, Zyperis?

Zyperis turned away once more. "Because I could."

Shiroten stepped forward, reaching for the only person who had ever cared for him.

"Tell me you're lying. Zippy…please, tell me you're lying!"

He touched Zyperis' shoulder and Zyperis spun around, catching him across the chest and pushing him back. Shiroten tried and failed to regain his balance and fell.

"GET OUT!" Zyperis shouted.

Several guards came in.

"Escort this man to the border and there give him provisions for his journey. He is not to be harmed."

"Yes, my lord."

They bowed and took Shiroten up by his arms. Shiroten cried out to Zyperis one last time, but Zyperis would not even look at him.

When everyone was gone, Zyperis crumpled to the floor and sobbed.

* * *

Nen stood on the battlements of the wall surrounding the ruined Fire Nation city of Kozoku. She looked out over the grassy fields, lit up with the fiery sunset. Zyperis stood next to her. In the last few hours he had changed so. Nen still didn't quite know what was going through is head, but he had changed.

She took a deep breath and sang as if she were alone.

_Many nights we've prayed _

_With no proof anyone could hear_

_In our heart a hopeful song_

_We barely understood_

_Now we are not afraid_

_Although we know there's much to fear_

_We were moving mountains _

_Long before we knew we could_

_There can be miracles_

_When you believe_

_Though hope is frail_

_It's hard to kill_

_Who knows what miracles?_

_You can achieve _

_When you believe_

_Somehow you will_

_You will when you believe_

The last thing she expected was for Zyperis to step up behind her. In his eyes, she could see that he was still watching Shiroten leave, though the shadow-bender had been out of sight for hours. If there was ever a man loved, it was Shiroten.

Zyperis closed his eyes and continued her song with his own grief.

_In this time of fear_

_When prayer so often proves in vain_

_Hope seems like the summer birds_

_To have swiftly flown away_

_Now I'm standing here_

Nen smiled.

_Now I'm standing here_

Zyperis sang softly and Nen raised her head to the setting sun.

_My heart so full_

_I can't explain_

_Seeking faith_

_And saying words_

_I never thought I'd say_

They sang the chorus together.

_There can be miracles _

_When you believe_

_(When you believe)_

_Though hope is frail, it's hard to kill_

_Who knows what miracles_

_You can achieve_

_When you believe_

_Somehow you will_

_You will when you believe_

Nen smiled and leaned back into Zyperis.

"You did the right thing today."

Zyperis smiled very slightly. "I hope he finds peace."

Nen closed her eyes.

* * *

Azula woke up slowly and Jet embraced her. With the crying of his name, his memory returned and he kissed her, loving the feel of her against him. Times were going to get worse, much worse, but things could be good for a little while.

* * *

Sitting on the hill overlooking the sea, Katara was thinking of Zuko. It had been almost a week and he hadn't returned. She knew that if he was okay he would've returned by now. Her heart wouldn't let her believe he was dead, but her mind knew it to be true.

Toph sighed. "He's a fire-bender. He can take care of himself."

Katara closed her eyes and sang.

_Who can say for certain?_

_Maybe you're still here_

_I feel you all around me_

_Your memory so clear _

_Deep in the stillness_

_I can hear you speak_

_You're still an inspiration_

_Can it be_

_That you are mine?_

_Forever love_

_And you are watching over me from up above? _

_Fly me up to where you are_

_Beyond the distant star_

_I wish upon tonight_

_To see you smile_

_If only for a while_

_To know you're there_

_A breath away's not far_

_To where to you are_

_Are you gently sleeping_

_Here inside my dream_

_And isn't faith believing _

_All power can't be seen_

_As my heart holds you_

_Just one beat away_

_I cherish all you gave me_

_Everyday _

_Cause you are mine_

_Forever love_

_Watching me from up above_

_And I believe_

_That angels breathe_

_And that love will live on and never leave_

_Fly me up to where you are_

_Beyond the distant star_

_I wish upon tonight_

_To see you smile_

_If only for a while_

_To know you're there_

_A breath away's not far_

_To where to you are_

_I know you're there_

_A breath away's not far _

_To where you are_

* * *

Arasoi had been home for barely a day. His wife, Majinai, was as silent and solemn as always. Since their son had run away, she had barely said a word. She blamed herself for telling him he had no father. He had been at war and to prevent dishonor, she had kept his name to herself, their bastard child growing up scorned and hated.

He promised her to find him, but he'd been unable to do so. He didn't even know what the boy looked like.

Yet, even when he had walked up alone into the village, she had rushed into his arms and he had held her as if he'd never let go.

He sat at the table and covered his face in his hands while she sat on the dirt floor, her head resting on his hip.

Outside, suddenly, Arasoi heard voices, curious voices. He stood and Majinai followed.

In the middle of the street, a boy was standing, maybe sixteen years old, brown hair and bright green eyes.

Arasoi didn't have to ask. He knew those eyes.

Shiroten stopped. He knew that woman standing there. She was older, her face more lined, but he knew her.

Majinai stepped forward from behind Arasoi and the gaze of the villagers shifted to her. Trembling, Shiroten stepped forward.

"Mother?"

She didn't hesitate this time, the beauty springing back into her face, guided by the hope she had never let go. She rushed forward and he stepped into her arms, together falling to their knees in the middle of the street.

Majinai raised her head to the sky as she let her tears flow freely. Then she lowered her gaze and kissed her son, kissing away the tears that had come there.

"Shiroten, my beautiful Shiroten, my white heaven, my love, my son, Oh, how much I missed you!"

Shiroten was unable to speak.

Arasoi noticed a man standing just back from the crowd. He was watching Shiroten with a strange look on his face. Arasoi started forward to confront him and as he got closer, he realized that the man wasn't looking at Shiroten, but at Majinai. The look on his face was jealousy.

Before Arasoi could reach him, the man turned. As he walked away, Arasoi heard him speak.

"Be happy, Shiroten. Release your hatred and your pain. Forget the life I made you endure. Love and live…that's all I ask of you."

Then he was gone.

Arasoi turned back to his wife and son, confident that all would be well from this day on.

* * *

In the camp of the army of Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe soldiers, a young man awoke in a dark blue tent. A man was sitting nearby, clearly of the Water Tribe. He sat forward when he realized the teenager was awake.

"Do you feel all right, son?"

He blinked and looked at the ceiling of the tent. "I feel fine."

"What is your name?"

A small look of distress came over his face as his forehead tensed in thought.

"I don't know."

"Do you remember what happened before?"

"I remember the battle but nothing else, nothing before that."

"Are you sure?"

"I am. I do not remember."

* * *

The Fire Nation was being addressed directly by its Lord.

Fire Lord Ozai stood on the balcony. Peris stood behind him in the shadows.

"You have experienced great confusion. Your prince and princess have abandoned you. My new heir will guide you through this time of war and I am confident he will lead you strongly when I am gone!"

Cheers met his word as well as cries of 'Long live the Fire Lord!'

"I give you, formerly a general in your army, Prince Peris!"

Ozai gestured behind him and Peris stepped forward. Those who knew him cheered harder and he raised a hand for silence.

"Just as a fire is covered by smoke and a mirror is obscured by dust, just as the embryo rests deep within the womb, wisdom is hidden by selfish desire. The war stands on the edge of a knife. A step in either direction could tip the tides against us. As a people, we must stand strong behind those who lead us and our greatest Leader, Agni himself, will give victory to us. When fire is applied to stone, it cracks. When fire is applied to water, it dissipates. When fire is applied to air, it dissolves into chaos. Fire conquers all and as fire, we shall conquer the world!"

Eimin watched his son's speech with a strange sense of pride. Pride in himself, however.

The Fire Nation would conquer the world. The Fire Nation would be conquered by Death.

**

* * *

**

END OF ARC 1

**ARC 2: The Mark of the Four**

**WILL CONTINUE IN approx. 1 MONTH. **

**MEANING I AM TAKING A MONTH OFF. **

_

* * *

(Behind the Scenes)_

**Zyperis: **Why are you so mean to me!!

**Elenea: **'Cause you are so perfect! If I wasn't mean to you, they'd bash you for a Gary-Stu!

**Zyperis: **A what!?

_(music plays in background)_

**Elenea:**There must be some confusion for you see…

**Zyperis:**..this person is…

**Elenea:**_ (pauses)_…unusually and inexplicably peculiar and all together quite impossible to explain**…**

**Zyperis: **….Blonde.

**Elenea: **(stares at her brown locks as music keeps playing) What is this feeling, so sudden and new?

**Zyperis:** I felt the moment I laid eyes on you.

**Elenea:** My pulse is rushing…

**Zyperis:** My head is reeling…

**Elenea: **My face is blushing…(OMG!)

_(together) _

Fervid as a flame

Does it have a name?

YeeeeeeeeEEEEESSS!

Loathing. Unadulterated loathing.

**Elenea:**For your face…

**Zyperis:** Your voice…

**Elenea:** Your clothing!

_(together) _Let's just say…I loathe it all!

Every little trait however small

makes my very flesh begin to crawl

With simple utter loathing.

There's a strange exhilaration

In such total detestation

It's so pure so strong

_(other Prophesied characters come on stage)_

Though I do admit it came on fast

Still I do believe that it can last.

And I will be loathing, loathing you my whole life through.

**_(All other characters, including Zuko!) _**

_My dear Elenea you are just too good. How do you stand it I don't think I could. _

_(pointing fingers at Zyperis)_

_He's a terror. He's a tartar. We don't mean to show a bias but Elenea, you're a martyr._

**Elenea: **Well…These things are sent to try us…

_(Zyperis rolls eyes)_

_**(characters)**_

_Poor Elenea forced to decide _

_To deal with a muse so disgusticified_

_We just want to tell you: _

_We're all on your side!!_

_We'll share in your…_

**Elenea and Zyperis: **What is this feeling? So sudden and new?

_(Loathing)_

I felt the moment I laid eyes on you!

_(Unadulterated loathing! For his face, his voice, his clothing) _

My pulse is rushing

_(Let's just say)_

My head is reeling

_(We loathe it all!)_

Oh, what is this feeling?

_(Ev'ry little trait however small makes our very flesh begin to crawl..)\_

**_(All) _**AhhhhhhhhHHHHHHH! Loathing!

**Elenea and Zyperis: **There's a strange exhilaration!

_(Loathing)_

In such total detestation!

_(Loathing)_

It's so pure, so strong!

_(so strong!)_

Though I do admit it came on fast!

_(Loathing)_

Still I do believe that it can last!

_(Loathing)_

And I will be loathing

For forever loathing

Truly, deeply loathing you

Loathing you!!!

My whole life long!

_(Unadulterated loathing!)_

**Zyperis: BOO!**

**Elenea: **_(screams shortly with cast)_

_(Everyone poses with last beat of song and curtain falls)_


	28. ARC 2: The Eye of the Storm

**ARC 2: THE MARK OF THE FOUR**

**

* * *

**

The first night she had the dream she'd woken up screaming. She'd been unable to stop crying for hours and her entire body had trembled even as Aang held her and told her it was just a dream.

Every night since she'd been forced to watch what her mind supplied as the battle of Shian, to watch Zuko fail at saving the city every night, and to know that he was not coming back.

It had been a month since she'd seen Zuko and he never left her being. She could feel him behind every curtain, in every breath of wind and in every stir of the fire.

For a month, Aang had listened to her excuses to stay in Tasha, hoping that Zuko would appear one day perhaps even with refugees from Shian, telling her that her dream was only partially true.

So Katara talked to the moon, telling Yue her fears about this night, about how she longed never to sleep again.

She worked herself to the bone every day in hopes of forgetting Zuko's plight even for a moment and at night she tried to restrain sleep as wave after wave of exhaustion piled over her. Her eyes lost their brilliance and her hair remained uncared about for days at end. She didn't see the point.

Yue whispered to her, telling her to sleep and in the window Katara slid to the floor, unable to hold back the nightmares any longer.

_White brilliance_

_People screaming…_

_fire…everywhere…_

_rain…arrows…lightning…_

_children…dying…_

_soldiers fighting…burning…killing…_

Katara trembled but instead of forcing herself to wake she forced herself to watch. Yue held her and told her it was all right. The world in her dream spun and Katara was there. She could feel the heat of the fires and hear the screams.

Before her, a teenage girl no older than herself was murdered as a spear fell through her chest.

She saw Zuko fighting desperately against many soldiers and willed herself to move. This time her feet responded and she whipped the soldiers back giving Zuko room to finish them off. In the midst of the battle, he embraced her with his free arm, holding his spear out to one side, and kissed her.

"Katara, I must finish this."

He tore from her arms and disappeared into the crowd as she called his name.

She then saw a beautifully terrifying spire of fire rise into the air, dodging and destroying everything thrown at it.

The white brilliance consumed her again and she was in a hall of red metal, glorious trappings hanging from the walls and nobles dressed in crimson silks all around her.

A man brushed passed her, startling her to stumble off balance before regaining her composure and staring after him, the gnawing in the back of her mind telling her she knew him.

"Zuko," she whispered.

The man turned and it was Zuko, his face unmarred by that hideous scar. She reached her hand up, the Powers that Be allowing her to touch him for the briefest of moments, engraving his face into her mind.

He said one thing to her. "Jeong Jeong,"

The innate knowledge that comes with dreams explained this to her and she nodded.

"Shian,"

As he turned to fall back into the flow of the world, his eyes were softened and became pained.

"I can't remember Katara. Please help me. Please find me."

She woke, tears streaming down her face but her resolve and confidence was firm for the first time in many nights.

"We have to go to Shian."

* * *

Aang was torn in two, standing on the outer wall of the city. How could he go on when the woman he loved was in love with another and pined for him? How could he be the Avatar, the intangible Avatar, when he could not detach himself from what held him to the earth?

He turned as footsteps echoed on the steps, audible even as the reconstruction of Tasha continued.

As Katara appeared the rain clouds that had been gathering since dawn let loose their woeful downpour.

Katara's words died in her throat as she viewed the silent pain in her dearest friend's eyes. Once she had thought he could be the only one she could ever love. He had thought the same thing.

Even now what he had thought was love was dying with the pouring rain, washing away pretenses. It was without guilt that he fell into the arms of the only one who used to matter. She was now one of many he had to save.

Katara slumped against the wall, cradling Aang and raising her head to the weeping of the sky.

"Aang, I'm…"

He smiled through his tears.

"You're the Daughter of Nen. You couldn't have changed things if you wanted to."

Katara blinked then smiled. "Did Zuko tell you?"

He shook his head against her stomach. "No, I figured it out."

"We should find Jeong Jeong. He can train you to fire-bend now."

Aang turned his head. "No, I want Zuko to train me."

"He's not a master."

"I don't care."

Katara closed her eyes. "I had a dream."

Aang raised his head to look at her but found her face peaceful.

"If we find Jeong Jeong, we'll find Zuko."

"Where do we start?"

"Shian."

* * *

It was raining. It had been raining ever since Shian had been destroyed. In what appeared to be a sheer cliff, a man in hood and cloak ran along the edge of a rock shift. Stopping, he knocked a certain pattern against the cliff wall and from inside an earth-bender opened the way for him.

Jeong Jeong handed the hood and cloak off to the young water-bender ready to take it from him where the water was bended off and the cloak was handed back to him dry. In silence, he headed deeper into the labyrinth of caves. A single earth-bender followed him without his request for it was well known one could not travel these halls without the skills of earth-bending.

This was hazardous and frustrating for the water-benders as well as the fire-benders he had brought with him. When he had met Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe neither he nor his men had even been trusted to leave peacefully. Now the second powerful fire-bender had been accepted into the ranks of this rebellion.

The earth-bender left him after letting him into the private cavern where the other stayed.

Instantly the pacing Ki-Lin that never left the boy's side spun around, ready to gore him until he bowed.

"Excuse me, Lady Kagehi,"

As always, her wings fluttered as she raised her head high, her tail tossing nervously. He could tell she hated being underground but she would not leave the one she called Korosu. In fact, it was the only name they had for the prodigy.

_Freezing cold wind blowing pushing fighting against can't breathe can't see. In the roaring he heard himself speak._

"_Leave me and go." _

_That girl again, her voice like a song. _

"_No!" _

"_Go." _

"_How will you survive in this?" _

"_Go." _

Jeong Jeong smiled softly. The poor boy was collapsed at the table where he'd been reading the night before. His smile hesitated a moment as he heard the boy mumble.

"Always…alone…"

"_You are not alone. You're here, with me, and I'm not going to leave you here alone. I will never leave you Zuko." _

Gently, Jeong Jeong shook him awake. "Korosu,"

Korosu snapped awake, staring at the book he'd fallen asleep on with wide eyes. He blinked once or twice and then realized where he was.

"Jeong Jeong…what has happened?"

Jeong Jeong smiled. "Nothing, you fell asleep. We're ready to move out."

Korosu nodded. "I'll be out in a moment."

Jeong Jeong exited and Korosu packed up his books, leaving everything else, his thoughts turning to his dream once more. Quickly, in his journal, he jotted down the name 'Zuko' along with all the other names mentioned in his dreams. Maybe they would help him remember himself but then again…maybe not.

Outside, thousands of earth, water, and fire-benders emerged from the cliff side, not only soldiers but women and children as well. Hakoda had once referred to them as a moving nation. Only Jeong Jeong had laughed.

Kagehi flexed her wings as she hadn't been able to do in ages.

"Oh, it feels good to be back in open air again."

Korosu laughed. "Easy for you to say. I'll be happy to keep my feet on the ground for some time."

She shook her mane and allowed his hand on her shoulder as they worked their way down after the others. Dressed in borrowed Earth Kingdom clothes, Korosu was a far cry from the boy she had met what seemed like years ago but was only two months.

He really was a mixture of nations now with Earth Kingdom clothes, a Fire Nation topknot, and a Water Tribe bag. The soldiers were still not fain to give him a weapon but as he remained with Kagehi, she assigned herself the duty of protecting him.

With a sharp gust of wind, a single strand of hair fell down over the left side of his face and Korosu brushed it away, once again overtaken by the strange feeling that he got when his fingers brushed the unmarked flesh over his left eye, like it wasn't supposed to be there.

He bent down behind Kagehi's neck as she tucked her wings close to her. The wind drove the rain into them and it felt like knives piercing the thin cloth of their clothing but they pushed on. The Fire Nation would never expect an attack in this storm.

* * *

The depression was filled with blood.

Once it had been full of water but the aquifer that supplied it had run dry nearly two thousand years before he entered it.

It had been a small feat to convince the soldiers to walk into the depression and slit their own throats and often the throats of those around them. It was even smaller a feat to convince the few still alive to gather the bodies out of the blood lake and onto the shore.

Zyperis watches silently, relishing the cold feeling that swept over him, the only emotion he'd allowed himself to feel for the past month until it had once again become a harsh, calculating habit that allowed him a clear mind.

Blood magic was a forbidden art, even in this time, magic gathered from the pain and suffering of others and by the Powers, he knew how to gather it.

For a moment his dark thoughts granted him a picture of the one he'd hurt the most before he shook the memory away.

He began to speak, an ancient chant from before the world had been created, and his words formed runes that hovered over the crimson lake before drawing up the blood magic and forming it to his command. In the air above the lake, a swirling void began to appear, piecing itself into existence with his words and magic.

Inside the void, the darkness began to take shape.

* * *

"Who is he, brother? Do you know?"

Standing in the rain, Haku could not meet his sister's gaze.

"Can a child be born after the mother has been dead for six months?"

Kanna blinked, looking up. "What?"

However, Haku wasn't paying attention to her. He was thinking about a time when he was still young, about the first time he had fought these enemies.

* * *

Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee doubled checked everything on their mounts before turning to face their small parting group. The Avatar's flying bison was nearby and they were ready to go after her brother.

Jet was there, a hand on her shoulder.

"There's too many risks. You shouldn't go."

Earlier that morning, the members of the war council had determined that they needed to launch a counter-offensive. Azula and her team had volunteered to go the camp and infiltrate it as spies. She believed that the news of her treason could not have reached so far so fast as Peris would have surely returned to a much larger base immediately.

Now, fully dressed as a Fire Nation Princess once more, she felt safe in what she knew. Surrounded by her enemies, she knew only one more thing could make what was to come a realistic idea.

"You'll find Zuko."

Katara touched her hand and nodded. "Take care, Azula."

The water-bender climbed into the saddle with the others of her group. Midori had chosen to stay in Tasha to help with refugees and the rebuilding. Jet was also staying, cutting the group down to Aang, Sokka, Katara, and Toph.

Azula could barely steady her hands on the basilisk's reins. She glanced down to meet the mud-colored eyes of the man she dreamed of forgetting and knew she couldn't. Raising her head, her gaze met the Avatar's.

"Be careful. Peris has a fine way of appearing where you least expect him."

"You be careful as well. You…hmph…" Aang fell silent, glancing away. How could he explain that he could barely meet her gaze without thinking of Zuko, of the man who had hunted him for nearly a year, of the first fire-bender in this time that he had trusted and yet so foolishly hated, and now of the only one who could make the woman he loved happy again?

"Appa, yip yip!"

Appa leapt into the sky and Azula turned her team into the woods. The wind stirred and sped them on their way.

* * *

Jet closed his eyes so as to not watch them go. When he opened them again, they were gone from view. The wind swirled again and met him outside the walls of the city where he unearthed a small bag and a long brown cloak. Pulling the cloak over him, he slung the bag over his shoulder.

"_Someone's coming…"_

He turned and stared up the path as Midori came running out of the gates.

"Midori-san, what is it?"

Midori bent over her knees to catch her breath. "I thought you would be leaving and I wanted to give you this."

Jet raised an eyebrow. He hadn't told anyone he was leaving. Seeing his expression, Midori winked.

"I just had a feeling, ok? You're as unreadable as stone. Here."

She thrust a crudely wrapped package into his hand. Inside were writing utensils and scrolls.

"Keep it touch, Jet-san,"

She smiled and raced off.

"_Something's not right about that girl," _

Jet smirked. "You're telling me?"

The Hiketsu chuckled as he placed the papers and such in his bag and continued down the path.

"So, where are going?"

"_North." _

Jet nodded and began to run, bringing out his swords and disappearing into the trees.

* * *

Just inside the gates, Midori was frozen. A glazed look overcame her eyes and then faded away. Glancing around, she frowned in confusion.

"Now, how did I get out here?"

Shaking her head, she continued on and disappeared into the city.

* * *

She pushed her head under his arm as he sat on the hillside. He was humming a soft song that she seemed to know but couldn't place.

"What is that song?"

Korosu shrugged. "I can't remember."

Kagehi lowered her head to rest on the grass, still wet from the rain. The battle had gone well, another victory for Seigi. She touched her alicorn to his cheek and looked at him through one impossibly blue eye.

"What are you thinking about?"

Korosu closed his eyes and the warm sun shed its last rays on the earth for that day.

"Just how sunny days seem to hurt the most."

Appa sank a little lower in the air, the easy breeze allowing him to glide lazily over the forest.

Katara closed her eyes, leaning into the warm embrace Sokka had offered as the others slept in the dark night.

"Everything is going to be all right, Sokka."

He gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze. "It's just, I didn't tell you…"

Katara sat up. "Didn't tell me what?"

Sokka looked away. "The battle at Tasha, the man that Jet was fighting…"

"Peris,"

"Mom was with him."

Katara stared at him, her mouth agape. "That's impossible! I fought him too, remember? I didn't see Mom."

"It was when that blue light overtook you, when you got that strange sword. He was going to kill you but Mom stopped him. Peris wouldn't hurt her for some reason. Then they left together."

Katara shook her head. "Sokka, you haven't been drinking the cactus juice again?"

Sokka tried to stand but the wind over the saddle kept him in his seat.

"I'm serious, Katara! I saw her."

Katara leveled a glare at him. "As if we don't have enough to worry about, Sokka, you have to make up tales to get the attention back on you. But bringing Mom into it! I didn't think you would stoop so low!"

She stood against the wind before he could say anything and walked over to sit on Appa's head. The bison groaned softly before adjusting for her weight and continuing on.

Sokka pulled his sleeping bag up over his shoulders and his forehead creased in worry.

"But I saw her."

Katara forced herself not to look back at her brother. The anger in her heart had cooled but she was so tired. There was too much to be expected of her, what was she supposed to do?

She glanced back to see Sokka was asleep. She couldn't apologize now and not yet either. Instead, she turned back forward and said nothing.

She didn't know she wouldn't get another chance to speak to her brother.

* * *

ak

zk

at

BLAR!

I know it wasn't worth the wait. Forgive me.


	29. Stranger

"The universe is not only stranger than we imagine, it is stranger than we _can_ imagine." --J.B.S. Haldane

* * *

Chapter 2

He climbed through the mist, the branches of the forest wet with dew until the trees opened onto a small plateau. Below him, a procession filed up from the burning remains of a village below.

It was a funeral.

He walked closer but no one paid him any mind. Mothers were weeping, holding their youngest children by their sides while the siblings left behind wondered where their older brothers and sisters had gone. The white they wore didn't seem right even though it was the color of mourning.

Turning his head, his gaze was drawn to a young girl, maybe 12, pushing the shoulder of a man on his knees weeping over a covered body. Stepping closer, he didn't mean to but couldn't help listening to what the girl was crying.

"Don't cry, Daddy, it's okay. I'm okay, see? I was always part of the Spirit World, please Daddy, I don't want you to cry."

She turned and looked at him and he stepped back, startled. Her eyes were so green. She reached from the bracelet around her wrist and then held it out to him.

"This is yours now. It's your turn to try, big brother."

* * *

Haru's eyes fluttered open as the dream flowed through his hands, fading into forgotten memory. Raising his head, the warm sunlight streaming through the trees greeted him and he smiled softly. He sat up, pushing back the blanket his mother had given him and shaking the sleep from his eyes. 

Standing, he was immediately nearly thrown back to the forest floor by barreling youngsters. The group of misfits was eager and ready to move on.

A glint out of the corner of his eye caught his attention and he glanced down.

Around his wrist was the green-eyed girl's bracelet.

* * *

In a small house hidden deep in the woods of the Achlys foothills, a mother threw open the shutters and let the warm sunlight in. 

As the rays engulfed her body, she smiled. "Good morning, father,"

Keilantra turned and was greeted by her son's warm embrace. So long had she waited to hold him again that she didn't think she could hold him long enough.

The moment was cut short as the sunlight seemed to begin to die. At first one could think it was simply a stray cloud slipping in front of the sun until the darkness deepened, becoming as night.

The Princess of the Night didn't have any time to prepare when the door burst in, framing the figure of a man for a brief flash before the light faded. Bracing herself in front of Tasuki, she stood strong.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

From the dust, a voice answered.

"Greetings, Keilantra, Daughter of Agni and Shasa. Greetings Tasuki, Son of Keilantra and the Eldest Ki-Lin."

Stiffening, Keilantra stepped back, an iron grip holding Tasuki behind her.

"I'll repeat myself. Who are you and how do you know us?"

"Where are the scrolls, Hime no Yoru?"

Keilantra willed herself not to steal a glance to the vase on the windowsill. A strange light was replacing the sunlight, glinting off the crystal embedded in Tasuki's forehead and outlining the stranger.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

The stranger tilted his head, pondering. "Well, he did say…maybe he won't mind…"

She narrowed her gaze as she felt his gaze center on her.

"So…cold…" she gasped.

The sword flashed twice and both Keilantra and her son fell to the floor. Blood stained the window and pooled on the floor.

Stepping over the bodies, the stranger glanced around then he saw it. The sword flashed again and the vase fell in pieces on the floor, the flowers it held scattering petals in the red elixir that gathered.

He bent and picked up the scrolls stolen from the Fire Temple, shaking the broken pieces of pottery off their delicate papyrus. As he read what was inscribed upon them, he laughed.

"No wonder,"

Turning, he sighed. "Oh, what a mess."

* * *

Haku stopped on the path and for a moment nothing on earth moved. He tilted his head and listened. The birds were quiet. No breath of wind was in the trees. He could only hear his heart beating and…he closed his eyes and listened harder, listening to the earth. 

Soft, barely audible, and then it roared to life, sending him to his knees with its screech. The earth was screaming in agony.

Rushing forward he advanced into the clearing. The house seemed unharmed. Inside...inside the house he fell to his knee and pulled their cold forms to him.

* * *

There were only a select few in the room by the canopied bed. The palace healer stood, a grave look on her face. 

"I can't name it nor describe it. The best thing for him now is rest."

Sitting on the side of the bed, a hand on the hand of his lord, Peris sat playing the part of the concerned patriot and son.

"Is there nothing to be done?"

The healer shook his head. "This illness has come on so fast. I can't…"

The ailing Fire Lord's eyes fluttered and glanced about the room, settling on Peris.

"The country is yours now. Guide her."

Peris placed both of his hands over the Fire Lord's. "I will, Father."

A messenger entered the room and bowed. "A man to see you, Prince Peris."

Ozai nodded. "Go."

Peris kissed his father's hand and followed the messenger out. It was a reverently silent room he left.

* * *

Entering into his study, Zyperis narrowed his gaze in the darkened atmosphere. A strange being, human of appearance, stood to his left. Dressed in a colorless sleeveless tunic and pants cropped at the knee, his skin was pale and his hair a bright shock orange, spiked to one side. He was standing on tip toe, one hand reaching to touch the dragon emblem in the Royal Fire Nation coat-of-arms. 

"I thought I said not to kill anyone."

Startled, he turned and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, couldn't help myself. It makes things so much easier."

Zyperis crossed the room and sat behind the Fire Lord's enormous desk overflowing with decrees, edicts, and miscellaneous items to be signed. His gaze remained on the other.

"Next time, you will control yourself. My plans have been too well placed for someone of your stature to be messing them up."

The other turned and mumbled something under his breath.

Zyperis smiled. "How could I forget all that you owe me, Seisui?"

A shiver crept through him. "Well, it sure took you a long time to collect and besides that, why couldn't you remember that we Abyss are extinct?"

His smile grew wider, causing the other to tremble again.

"I couldn't, since I made you that way."

Seisui nodded and walked over to the open window. Zyperis took a paper in hand and glanced over it before setting it aside.

"On your way out, send the general standing outside the door in."

He nodded and stepped out. Moments later, the general of the Fire Nation army stepped in.

"General Xiang, I have a few questions."

"Of course, my Lord."

"Why do we let spies live?"

Xiang blinked before straightening his posture. "I don't understand, sir."

Peris sifted through a few papers. "The former general Jeong Jeong must be tracked down and killed."

"We're trying, my Lord."

"Stop trying. Do it." Peris snapped. "I'm ordering the 15th regiment and two YuuYan to focus solely on the elimination of Jeong Jeong and any followers he may have gathered."

"Yes, sir."

"Also, the YuuYan named Yashamaru is an Earth Kingdom spy."

Xiang blinked and glanced towards the door, more than anxious to escape.

"His name is Arasoi and he lives in this village." Peris placed a scroll on the front of his desk.

"Send a group of five assassins to kill him and take the village for the Fire Nation."

"Yes, sir."

A moment passed and Peris glanced up. "Why are you still here?"

Hurriedly, Xiang bowed and ran from the room.

* * *

Imitating his father's movements, the brown-haired boy sighed in frustration when the rock barely trembled. 

Chuckling, his father ruffled his hair. "You'll get it. Now let's go. I can smell supper form here."

Shiroten didn't follow immediately. His gaze fell on the sun setting over the western forest. As his head turned, a strand of hair fell in his face. He glared at it with as much hatred as he could muster.

Raising his hand, he blamed the bronze skin that his light had given him and the sandy hair that shadowed his gaze. He'd worried so long about his mother. He didn't know he'd have to give up so much.

* * *

He spat a thin stream of blood into the dirt as the Earth bullies went back towards camp leaving their catcalls fading with the wind. 

Korosu sat up and sighed, smearing the blood on his chin with a torn sleeve.

"Here, let me."

A young woman sponged the blood from his cut lip and checked his face for any other cuts before sitting back.

"You know, not all of us are like that."

Korosu ignored her offer and stood alone. "Someday they'll see we're all human."

She smiled then offered her hand again, this time in greeting.

"My name is Jin."

This time, he accepted her hand. "Korosu."

Her smile grew broader and she took his arm in her own. Together they walked back towards camp.

* * *

Katara watched the moon rise in the dark night, her body outlined against the horizon. A sudden sound alerted her and she spun. Nakara, the little blue dragon, fell out of Sokka's bag with a piece of red cloth caught in her teeth. 

Quickly, Katara caught the playful dragon, gently separating the cloth from Nakara's daggered teeth. Her heart leapt into her throat as she wondered if he knew what it meant. It was incomplete but she could recognize it.

Carefully sewn to red cloth was a betrothal necklace.


	30. World Burn

AN: Sorry this is late. It's also not as long as I planned it to be but Chapter 4 should be up sooner than this was. Also, even though nobody cares, I have an 'A' in Japanese 1001. Go me.

Anyway, things will start heating up soon. At least it can't get any worse.

* * *

**Chapter 3**

The moon was high, gleaming into the clearing and lighting her way as Katara moved across camp to the shore of the nearby river. Opening the map, she guessed at how far they'd come from Tasha and how far they had to go to reach Shian.

A sigh alerted her to another's presence. A little further down the river she saw Aang sitting with his eyes closed. When she crossed the small distance and sat down beside him, he sighed again.

"I just don't understand the fire element."

Katara smiled, understanding.

Aang shook his head. "I've been practicing at night, trying to build on what Jeong Jeong taught me and it's so frustrating."

"Aren't you supposed to practice in the sun? The sun is the source of all fire."

Aang shrugged. "I can't control it or concentrate in the sunlight. Every time I try to focus on the heat I feel it rise up inside of me and try to take over."

He grinned and turned his head. "And you seem to know a lot about the fire element."

Katara smiled slightly, her eyes soft. "On the island, Zuko and I talked a lot about our elements and what it was like learning to bend."

She raised her hand and bended a small stream of water to her.

"Remember, when you were learning to water-bend, you had to learn to move with the water not against it. And when Toph teaches you, she's teaching you to be strong and…well, show the rock who's boss."

Aang laughed and nodded.

Katara's smile wavered and her lids lowered, her brow furrowed in remembrance.

"Zuko described learning to fire-bend as if fighting a war against everything inside you. You can't subdue fire yet you can neither give in to it. You must learn to work with while at the same time overpowering it."

She shook her head and sighed. "Fire will be your toughest element."

Aang nodded.

* * *

The fire rolled through his finger as if it wanted to prove its worth. Korosu watched the tiny flame as it flickered and tumbled, trying to become bigger and still fit through his fingers. 

He turned as Jeong Jeong came down the path to the edge of the river where he sat. The old fire-bender watched the flame flicker over his hand for a moment before Korosu let it die.

"Come train with us, Korosu."

The tone of the deserter's voice left no room for question but still Korosu shook his head. Standing, he shook off his pants and walked further downriver.

Jeong Jeong sighed and watched him until he was hidden by the willow trees then he turned and walked back to the camp.

Korosu stood silent against the bank of the river, staring out through the trees to the bitter sun. Something about the way in shone saddened him, as if it had a secret it didn't quite want to divulge just yet.

A sharp jerk beneath his feet caused him to gasp as the wet ground betrayed him to the hungry river.

Despite the warm weather, the water hit him like ice. The world swam before his view as he struggled to regain the surface. He didn't even know if he could swim.

And he wondered why there were ice chunks floating in the water.

He spun in the water and below him he saw a small girl wearing Water Tribe clothing and dressed for a northern winter floating below him. She was unconscious.

A sound alerted him to something above him and he saw himself, no, it wasn't, no, he was sure it was himself, dive into the water and swim down towards the girl, wrap an arm around her waist, and pull her to the surface.

A crowd of Northern Water Tribesmen were waiting and the girl, no more than eight years old, coughed and ran to her mother. It was snowing.

An older girl, almost sixteen, ran towards him and pulled him out of the water.

"What were you thinking, Zuko? You could've been killed."

She was yelling but her eyes were laughing. He laughed in turn.

"I'm very sorry. Do forgive me, dear Katara."

She playfully hit him at his tone and wrapped a dry blanket around his shoulders.

_Zuko. My name is Zuko. _

Korosu coughed involuntarily and he was no longer cold. Also, he was no longer in the water.

A sharp sting across his face alerted him to exactly where he was.

"What were you thinking, Korosu? You could've been killed!"

"I'm sorry, Katara."

Jin stopped, her hair dripping and her arm raised mid-slap. She bit her lip and stared at the half-conscious fire-bender then slowly lowered her hand.

He blinked several times and then realized who she was. Gasping at his mistake, he struggled to regain his feet and succeeded only in falling once again.

"Jin, I'm sorry, I remembered something there in the water."

Jin sat watching him. "Katara,"

Korosu stared blankly forward, not noticing when Kagehi came flying into the clearing and chased Jin away.

_Zuko. My name is Zuko. But who is Zuko? Damn, why can't I remember anything? _

Kagehi lay down next to him and he grasped a fistful of her mane, staring over her neck as if he willed the very earth to reveal its secrets to him. It didn't take long for the tears to come.

When a general yelled a command he sprang forward knowing exactly what he was to do. He could command armies. He could swim, save lives, speak four different languages, read the Ancient Script, summon lightning from clear skies, was bonded to a Ki-Lin, why could he not remember who he was?

* * *

Haru looked around him at what was left of the Freedom Fighters. They had been traveling for nearly a month now following what seemed to be a moving nation that had left barely a track for them to find the group by. Smellerbee, luckily, was an extremely good tracker. 

Still, they were running very low on food. He and some of the older Fighters had gone without so that the youngest wouldn't be hungry. For he, himself it had been three days since he'd eaten and the most water the group had to have had was less than a day ago at a muddy stream. They had to find the nation and quickly.

Smellerbee walked a few feet ahead and knelt. The one called Longshot moved to stand even with Haru.

"They're still a few days ahead of us."

Haru struggled not to sigh and turned to look at the group following him. A few of the older ones looked up at him hopefully but the youngest just took advantage of the brief rest, several just sitting down where they stopped walking. They could not continue like this.

"Longshot, Smellerbee, I want you to take charge of the group and camp nearby. Forage for food, look for water, but wait here. I'm going to go ahead and make contact."

Longshot leveled a glare at him and Smellerbee nodded.

"Longshot's right, you can go on by yourself."

"Why not?" Haru replied. "I brought the group this far. It only makes sense. I'm the oldest and the only one capable of solitary travel."

"What about us? The Fighters?"

"You survived without me. What's one more week?"

At long last, Smellerbee nodded again. She dug out a small bag from the large pack she carried and handed it to him.

"Here. It's not much but it'll get you there."

Haru accepted the food and turned to his path. Smellerbee and Longshot watched him disappear into the woods.

* * *

Deep in the Earth Kingdom, a young farmer walked with a few others from his village through the town's crops. The dry ground was cracked and his steps sent up swirls of dust. The much needed crops were dying from dehydration in a land that was usually fertile. The sun beat down on the poor village. 

"A drought this early…"

"It came on in a few days…"

The young farmer held in his hands a wilted leaf and he frowned. Something was very wrong.

Only a few miles away, another village farm lay flooded.

* * *

Arnook woke to a cloudy morning as the distress call resounded through the city. Shasa's Tears, as his ancestor's had named the glacier to the north of the city, had ceased its frozen solidity and was now rushing down the hillside to empty into the bay. Half of the outlying houses had been swept away. The number of casualties was unknown. 

Turning, Arnook placed a hand on the frozen wall of his home. His hand came away wet.

The Northern Water Tribe was melting.

* * *

In the Fire Palace courtyard, a maid stared at her hand where a flake of snow had just fallen.

* * *

The cliff that was to house the army that night was bathed in snow by the time they reached. The blizzard had been raging for three days turning a short trip into a life-or-death excursion. Fire-benders were placed in increments down the line using flame signals to guide the army on. 

Korosu wrapped his hand tighter in Kagehi's mane as she stood against the increasing wind. He stood beside Jeong Jeong and they guided the seemingly endless stream of women and children to the cliff side. Just beside the cliff there was a lull in the wind which unbalanced the group as they scurried to shelter.

A young woman carrying a thickly covered infant nearly fell but Korosu managed to catch her before she dropped her precious cargo into the thick snow. She clung to him desperately and he half carried her to where the wind was blocked by the cliff. She disappeared into the crowd without a sound and Korosu moved back to Kagehi.

* * *

Haru wrapped his thin cloak around him but the fierce wind tore through his clothes like a thousand knives. The snow was waist deep where he walked but was over his head in some areas. What had been rugged landscape a few days ago was laid flat and treacherous by the unworldly snow. 

Without warning, his next step landed on nothing and the world turned inside out as he rolled down the side of a deep gulley. Snow cascaded around him, whipped by the never-ending wind which brought only more snow. Pain exploded down his right side and he barely noticed a soft green glow before all was dark.

* * *

The weather was unusually good the night Appa landed just north of a village. Sokka was sure it wasn't guarded by the Fire Nation so they could replenish their supplies the next morning. Now, everyone was very tired. 

Toph landed on the ground and gave a short gasp, almost unnoticed by the others who were putting up camp. Aang, however, turned to ask.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing really." She replied. "I've just never felt earth this old before."

Sokka glanced down. "Looks pretty new to me."

"Not on the surface but down about six feet or so. It's feels like its…thousands of years old…or more!"

She shook her head and began to help put up camp as she could. Katara placed a hand on the ground, wishing for a just a moment that she could feel what Toph did. Suddenly, she felt a pull in her chest and she climbed into Appa's saddle. There, the sword she had taken from ruins of the Fire Temple was glowing softly.

* * *

Korosu turned his head. In the holster on Kagehi's shoulder, the gold staff was glowing slightly, pulling at him. 

He slowly undid the leather strap that held the staff in place and drew it out. For a moment all it did was glow, illuminating the snow around him and then his world changed.

The snow was whirling and then became an alabaster wall, so quick did the vision move before him.

Then the wall of snow shimmered and became separate flakes once more and in the midst of the swirling white mist was a fleck of green. It could've been a tree or a bush but Korosu knew better.

He snapped back into his own mind, Kagehi nudging his neck and the staff still glowing very softly.

"Kagehi," Korosu whispered hoarsely, the wind whipping at his words but the alert Ki-Lin ears heard him.

"Yes," she replied softly.

"Can you fly?"

She raised her head, surveying the winds and then lowered her head in assent. Without another word, Korosu climbed onto her back and she opened her wings. At first the winds buffeted her back and she slid on the powdered snow but as she turned her back to the wind, it nearly lifted her.

Jeong Jeong turned just in time to see the fire-red Ki-lin disappear into the storm.

"Korosu!" he called in spite of the fact he knew the boy couldn't hear him.

* * *

Ziri smiled at the thin sheet of snow on the ground. In the ice-covered stream he saw the reflection of his new unscarred face. He looked different, older, and he had a strange new escort who didn't appear in the reflection. 

She stood not far away, wrapped in a thick white fur cloak, identical to the one he wore. Feeling his gaze, she turned and smiled at him, brilliant blue eyes twinkling in the white iridescence.

"All the Eimin is doing is unbalancing the world. This weather is only the first sign of things to come."

Ziri's smile faded but he kept her gaze. Kanna, the sister of the Eldest Ki-Lin, had told him all that was happening in the world and his piece in it.

Her smile broadened. "Not to worry. I will teach you all you need to know."

* * *

The ill Fire Lord was accompanied only by his attentive heir or so it seemed to the constant nurses who scurried about. The other companion had no form, merely occupied the shadows for the time being. 

Peris turned to the nurses. "Can you leave us, please?"

The nurses bowed and left the room. Slowly, the shadows condensed and the last Abyss stood in the room with him.

"Are you making him sick?" Seisui asked.

Zyperis placed a hand on Ozai's forehead and nodded. Seisui watched the young Dark Lord and noticed that despite the new position and much finer clothes, Zyperis looked thinner, haggard, and almost pallid.

"What have you done?"

Zyperis didn't answer but gave a weary sigh. "I need the Fire Lord alive, if just for a little longer. You, are you anxious to return?"

Seisui didn't reply. He didn't need to. "What must I do to fulfill my debt?"

"It will be difficult, extremely for you. You are much older than the enemy you will face and you have that advantage."

The Abyss braced itself.

"After you do this," Zyperis continued. "You can return to whatever hole you call home. I think one Abyss will be enough for this world, as young as it will be."

"What must I do?" Seisui repeated.

"I want you to kill the Ki-Lin, Kanna."

* * *


	31. Family

Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance. Confucius

* * *

**Chapter 4**

The wind was horrendous and several times Kagehi has to skim near the ground to escape the worst of it. During these blood-congealing dives, Korosu forced himself to scan the ground for the man he'd seen in his vision.

Suddenly, a strong blast of wind and snow came at them from the side and Kagehi was knocked to the ground, sending Korosu flying as the wind tore at them, sending them tumbling through the snow. When she could finally regain her feet, Kagehi shook her wings to make sure they weren't damaged and looked around for Korosu, calling his name.

He stood, nearly falling once more in the driving wind. She stepped to his side and expressed concern that in this wind, she might not be able to fly any more.

Korosu wrapped an arm around her neck for support. "We'll make it."

She nodded. Korosu scanned the snow, using his free hand to keep his hair out of his eyes. The fall had torn it from its topknot and now the wind whipped into the ice-sodden strands into his face with cutting precision.

He would've missed it from the sky Korosu noted as he at last spotted the flap of green cloth that he had seen in his vision. Sliding carefully down the gulley with Kagehi following, he found the man buried at least under a foot of snow, shivering but alive. His leg was clearly broken; the snow was stained with patches of blood.

Korosu lifted the man onto his back, the man's head over his shoulder. Slowly, with much backsliding, he climbed out of the gulley. It was only with Kagehi's natural sense of direction that would get them home safely.

* * *

Jeong Jeong was waiting outside of the camp, a thick red cloak wrapped around his shoulders. The cliff side opened up behind him and Hakoda stepped out.

"You're not used to this weather. Let me take over the watch."

Jeong Jeong shook his head. "I'm not moving until Korosu comes back."

Hakoda moved to stand beside him. "You know who he really is, don't you?"

Jeong Jeong nodded. "I thought it best if he figures it out for himself."

Hakoda nodded his agreement. "There is something at work here we can't explain. The weather, the Ki-lin, you can hear it can't you?"

Jeong Jeong tilted his head and closed his eyes. Above the wind, above the creak of the earth, above the sounds of the camp, there was a creaking, a howling that one could barely discern but it was there. As he focused on it, it grew in pitch until it was all there was.

He shook his head, clearing the sound out. Opening his eyes, a blotch of red became visible and soon the figures of a Ki-Lin with a strange huddle of mass beside it came into view. As they stepped into the circle of light made by the lantern Hakoda carried, they saw that it was Korosu carrying another.

Hakoda rushed forward and took Korosu's load from him. It was a teenage Earth kingdom boy, pale beneath his complexion and nearly frozen. Korosu didn't look well either and neither did Kagehi. She even allowed Jeong Jeong to throw his cloak over her wings as they were guided inside.

In his chambers, Korosu was stripped of his wet clothes and wrapped in several warm blankets. A maid gave him a bowl of warm broth to sip on as Jeong Jeong berated him of his foolishness, Kagehi lying wearily in a corner as another maid placed heated blankets over her.

"The boy…" Korosu said, interrupting Jeong Jeong's tirade. "How is he?"

The maid who had given him the broth answered while Jeong Jeong took a breath.

"He'll be fine, Lord Korosu, with some rest. He has spoken brokenly of a group of children further in the woods where you found him."

Korosu nodded and sipped the broth. Exhaustion was feeding into him slowly, making everything he heard and saw a bit fuzzy.

He stood, clutching the blankets around his shoulders. "We have to…"

For a moment he glanced about the room, trying to make sense of the fact that there was suddenly three of everything before it all went dark.

The maid cried out at the cup he'd been holding shattered and Jeong Jeong failed in his attempt to catch the falling boy. His head cracked against the stone floor with a sullen thud. Kagehi struggled to regain her feet until Jeong Jeong motioned to her that he was all right.

* * *

The sound of fire and screams woke him from his bed. He threw back the blanket and rushed out into the nighttime village, not even aware that he was barely dressed. An arm wrapped around his chest and he cried out.

"Shiroten,"

Shiroten breathed again as he looked up into his father's eyes.

"They're fire-benders and I'm sure they're after me."

"What do you mean?"

Arasoi turned. "I've been a spy against the Fire Nation. I was sure they wouldn't find me here, this village isn't even on the map, but…it's the only reason they would've attacked."

An explosion sent beams of light flashing through the village and Shiroten automatically shrank back from it. Arasoi gripped the bloody sword in his hand and braced himself.

"Look, Shiroten, and listen to me. You have to go get your mother to safety. She's hiding in the stables."

"But Dad…"

"Now!"

Arasoi pushed him further into the alleyway and leapt out into the fray, instantly beginning battle with a random fire-bender.

Shiroten weighed his options. Without his shadow-bending, he was barely more than an annoyance since his earth-bending wasn't hardly worth calling bending. He turned and ran.

The stable was the only building not yet on fire. The ostrich horses were crying out in fright, clearly they knew of what was happening even if the proximity of the battle wasn't quite to their door yet. Taking a moment, Shiroten quickly opened the gates of their stalls and let them run free. He had a feeling there wouldn't be anyone left to claim them and he wouldn't let them burn to death.

He found his mother hiding in one of the stalls. Pulling her to her feet, he placed an arm around her shoulders and guided her out of the stable.

The stable had now caught fire from one of the other houses. Shiroten could hear the rowdy shouts of the fire-benders now. No matter what his father said, these men were here to destroy the village.

He began to walk as quickly as he could with his mother by his side towards the woods on the far side of town. Several minutes passed with no one noticing their escape and he began to feel sure that they were going to get away.

An ostrich horse, its tail on fire, ran screeching past them catching the eye of a YuuYan archer.

"Survivors trying to escape!" The man shouted and turned his komodo rhino to chase after them.

His mother pushed him forward. "Run, Shiroten!"

But all he could do was stare. His mother, his thin and frail mother, ran forward to face the beast charging her, standing with all the might that a mother could but the beast didn't even slow, merely mowed her down as if she were nothing but a fly it might whisk off with its tail.

The YuuYan nocked an arrow to his bow and Shiroten dove to the side, instincts driving his body to the woods as the arrow flew just past his ear.

He made it into the woods but the YuuYan was right behind him. Pain seared through him as he dodged to the left and an arrow aimed for his heart pierced his right shoulder instead.

The moon slid behind a cloud when he ran out into a clearing. Halfway across the clearing a roaring river blocked his path. He stopped and turned as the YuuYan slowed his beast at the edge of the clearing.

Drawing an arrow from the quiver on his back, the YuuYan grinned.

"Nowhere to run, little boy."

Shiroten gritted his teeth. If only he were still a shadow-bender! It was hardly a wonder Zyperis didn't want him around anymore for all he had done was prove that he was just a hindrance.

"_I don't care about my light, I just want to be able to defend myself again! I am not weak!" _

"Don't mess with me," Shiroten hissed, some of his old confidence showing through.

The YuuYan just laughed. "Good-bye, little boy,"

The arrow flew and Shiroten tossed up an arm to protect himself on instinct but the arrow never hit. The YuuYan couldn't have possible missed!

Shiroten opened his eyes which he had automatically closed. The arm he held in front of him wasn't the Earth Kingdom tan anymore. It was pale, almost opaque. He didn't have to look to know his hair was now black as the new moon and his eyes rimmed in silver. He smirked.

The fire-benders turned from a victorious battlefield at the sound of a komodo rhino galloping up. As they turned, tendrils of shadow leapt from the woods at the throats of the men. Several fell and those remaining leapt to their feet to fight but were cut down immediately.

Shiroten rode in on the komodo rhino and then released it. All of the fire-benders were dead and the shadows crept up to gather around his feet.

"_We missed you…"_ they said.

Shiroten smiled. He now knew the Powers That Be didn't hate him as the shadows explained the gift he'd been given. He had more light in his soul than darkness but it times of trouble, he could lessen the light, dim it, and the shadows would come to him.

It was strange, but he was sure that he could remember seeing a fisherman sitting by the river.

* * *

_He sat alongside a river. The river flowed continuously as its clear waters revealed nothing to the human eye. To his left sat an old fisherman, his line dangling in the water. To his right was a small child in a white dress, her knees folded to her chest and her chin resting on them. She rocked back and forth watching the water. Behind him stood a humanoid creature, male or female you could not tell, but its eyes were soft and its voice softer. _

"_There are things you cannot yet remember." _

_The child spoke next. "Things you must not yet remember." _

_The fisherman turned and met his gaze. "Forget all you know." _

_They spoke together. "But remember you shall when the words are spoken." _

* * *

Korosu rolled over, his head was pounding roughly. He touched his head and his hand came away bloody. Turning to a nearby mirror, he found the character for fire had been carved in his forehead. Taking some of the water left by the nurse, he splashed some over his face and the water turned pink. With a piece of red cloth he dried his face and then tied it over the mark.

A sound made him turned and Kagehi stood at the entrance to his tent.

"I kept everyone away." She said softly, as if afraid. Korosu smiled and ran his hand through her mane as she came nearer.

"Are you all right?"

She nodded. "It's stopped snowing but it's not melting. It's so cold."

Korosu pushed back the blankets and was hit with a sudden blast of icy wind. Kagehi shuddered as Korosu jerked the blankets back around him. Taking a deep breath of the cold air, Korosu determined he had been too worried about the mark on his forehead to notice the cold earlier.

He wrapped the blankets around his bare shoulders and tried to stand, nearly falling in the process. Kagehi caught him and he wrapped an arm around her neck for support. With her help he managed to get dressed warmly enough to brave it outside the protection of his tent.

Outside no one was recognizable due to the wrappings they wore to keep warm. An arm wrapped around his and he felt Kagehi tense then relax.

"Good morning, sleepy head." The girl said.

He had to search for her name. He knew it. He knew he knew it. It was there, somewhere, on the tip of his tongue.

"You look confused, Korosu." She said, her brow furrowing.

_It won't hurt._

"Jin, hi." He said, relaxing as her name and who she was flooded back into his mind.

She smiled. "Come, let's go get some breakfast."

* * *

Katara was the first to notice something had changed about their surroundings. She was also the first one to wake.

"Hey, guys, wake up!" she shouted.

Sokka rolled and looked up. The sky was at least 60 feet above them framed by jagged rocks.

Toph sat up. "Whoa, how did we get down here?"

Katara shrugged out of her sleeping bags. "Moreover, how did we get down here without being hurt? If we'd fallen, we'd have…"

She trailed off as she caught sight of what surrounded them. Pillars held up the surrounding earth as they lay on a ledge above a vast cave. Bridges and paths crisscrossed the air below them while what appeared to be books filled the walls.

"Oh dear,"

The voice caused them all to spin around sharply and stare at the vision that greeted them. What appeared to be a young man with sandy blonde hair was scratching his head as he watched them.

"You are not supposed to be down here, that you are not, no, this could be bad, that it could."


	32. History

**Chapter 5**

The moonlight crept into the dark room lighting up the crimson sheets lying disheveled on the bed. The new Fire Lord sat on the window sill, the chill air flowing over him.

Sleep would not come for him. It would not come again for him in this lifetime.

A slight wind lifted his loose hair and he closed his eyes. Never had he done a single thing without thought. Everything was planned extensively, methodically. Every moment since his birth so long ago had been geared towards this time, this place. He knew what must be done.

"Keilantra and Tasuki, why did they have to die?"

Zyperis did not flinch at the sudden sound. "I did not tell him to kill them."

Haku frowned. "Sending an Abyss, even one as old as Seisui, not to kill them was a foolish decision."

Zyperis took the pillow at his feet and threw it at the Ki-Lin. Haku caught the missile and stared at it before giving Zyperis an annoyed look to find that he wasn't even paying attention anymore. His eyes were far away, watching something that wasn't there.

Looking back at the ornately embroidered pillow, Haku noticed that a seam on one side was newer than the others.

"Open it."

Haku looked up again and still Zyperis was not looking at him. Hooking his nails into the seam, he pulled the pillow apart. Feathers littered the floor but he caught what was hidden before it fell. Two scrolls, benign and obviously very old, Haku could feel their power. Opening the first, he closed his eyes in regret.

"This is what Keilantra stole from the temple?"

"It's actually a copy of what Keilantra wanted to steal but this set is the more valuable of the two. This was written by the same Seer that wrote the Prophecy."

There was a brief moment when the room seemed to be a little darker, a little colder, and then the moment was gone.

"You should go, Elder Haku. The sun is rising."

Haku stepped forward to hand Zyperis the scrolls.

"No, take them with you. They will be safer with you."

Haku frowned, wondering about the boy before him.

"Whatever this plan is that you have, it had better work."

Zyperis did not turn, merely lowered his gaze.

"I have only deviated from a plan once and the price I paid was dear."

Haku softened his gaze and allowed himself a small smile. "Yes, she was."

* * *

Sokka was on his feet in an instant, drawing his machete and prepared to strike. Toph sat still, and Aang just looked confused. Katara stared at the man before them but his appearance wasn't the most astonishing thing.

It was that he was standing approximately 3 feet from the ledge where they were, standing on thin air.

She stood up, separating herself from her sleeping bag.

"Who are you?"

He tilted his head and looked at her. "I'm the Library."

Sokka lowered his weapon. "What do you mean, the Library?"

The man raised his hands and motioned behind him. As he did, more torches burst into flame and halls and halls of books appeared. There seemed to be no clear organization. Books littered tables that appeared from nowhere but there were no chairs.

"I did have a name once but I can't remember…so much to remember now and I can't remember my own name."

He laughed but was suddenly serious again. "Do any of you have anything to add to the Library? I love learning new things!"

Sokka gave a cry and hid behind Aang. "It's Wan Shi Tong all over again."

The man tilted his head. "Wan Shi Tong? Oh yes."

As he spoke, images began to flash around him, images of an owl and of books.

"'He Who Knows Ten Thousand Things;' creature of the Spirit World; greedy; No, this temple is much older than Wan Shi Tong. He is a creature of this world. This Library, this temple is of another world."

Aang stood up and walked towards the man, stopping at the edge.

"Another world?"

He nodded. "Yes, this temple is to Origin, the center of all existence. Those you call gods came from Origin. There they were just people."

The images flashing around them changed, showing pictures of two men with black hair. Katara recognized the smaller of the two as the god Agni but before they could continue the images vanished.

"However, the Elders have forbidden mortals from knowing about Origin. It could damage this universe's existence."

Katara drew the blade of ice from her bag. "Well, maybe you can just tell me what this is."

Instantly, it was snatched from her hand. The ledge they had been standing on was gone as well as their stuff. Toph gave a cry since she could no longer see and the books around them blurred as they moved deeper into the library.

When they stopped, everyone but the man fell over. Katara got up on her knees and the man twirled the blade in his hand and then retracted the blade into the hilt.

"The Kun, the Blade of One Thousand Seas, one of the Heiki, forged from the soul of a Water Elemental to be wielded by the Daughter of Nen, to be joined with the Qiang, the Shou, and the Hiketsu to release the Light of the Four."

He handed it back to her. "If you have it, then you must be the Daughter of Nen. I will answer any questions you and your friends have."

"Who are the Elders?" Katara asked.

"The Elders are the oldest creature from each of the three Great Races: the Dragons, the Gryphons, and the Ki-Lin. With age comes power which makes these three the most powerful living beings. Currently, the Eldest Ki-Lin is Haku, the Eldest Dragon is Antaram, and the Eldest Gryphon is Skandranon. Haku lives in this world, Antaram and Skandranon live in Origin."

Aang stepped forward. "Why is there a temple for Origin?"

"Yeah, and what is Origin?" Sokka chimed in.

The man smiled. "Origin is the universe around which all other universes revolve. Life originated there. The Elementals, the Dragons, the Gryphons, and the Ki-Lin lived there in peace together. The Key was passed from race to race to guard the gate between worlds. Only the one who possessed the Key could pass freely between each universe. However, about two millenniums ago, an Abyss named Kolyn possessed an Elemental infant and the world of Origin was destroyed by the man the infant grew into."

"Wait, what's an Abyss?"

"An Abyss is a creature of ultimate darkness, born to balance the Ki-Lin who are creatures of pure light."

Katara frowned. "What about the Dragons and the Gryphons?"

"Dragons are creatures of sky and of fire. Gryphons are creatures of earth and of water."

"Then why do Gryphons have wings?" Sokka inquired and in reply the man shrugged.

Aang waved for them to quiet. "This man, how did he destroy Origin?"

"Some Elementals were born with a Spirit inside them, a Spirit of the element which allowed them to move their elements."

"Like bending?"

"Sh!"

The man blinked then continued. "Also, those that were not born with a Spirit could learn to move their elements from those with Spirits. Lord Eimin convinced those that could learn that they needed to kill Elementals with Spirits in order to move their elements. They broke off from the others and called themselves superior."

"Only the Key knew the truth but he was only one Elemental. At the peak of Eimin's power, the Key was a Fire Elemental named Coal. Coal managed to convince a few other Elementals of Colin's plot and with a girl who came through from another universe, they fought against Eimin for control of Origin. The battles that ensued destroyed Origin's landscape but a deeper effect it had for the chaos disrupted Origin's balance. In order to save existence, the true Origin had to be abandoned and Coal and his followers left to found a new Origin."

Aang nodded. "And this is the new Origin isn't it?"

The man nodded. "In the creation of this world, they forgot who they were. They became different people. Coal became the god you know as Alem. His followers became the rest. Agni, Shasa, Nen, Mamoru, Samir, Kaia, and Makani."

Katara spoke up. "But what are we fighting? Who is it that the Prophesied Four are supposed to defeat?"

"Eimin followed Coal across the universes. Coal, with the help of his Ki-Lin friend, managed to Seal him between worlds. Now the Seal is broken and Eimin is free. He is whom you call the god of Death."

Katara sat down hard. "We are supposed to defeat the god of Death. Why can't Alem and the other gods do it?"

The man looked sad. "Some things can't be done twice. They don't have the power."

"How can he be more powerful than all of them combined?"

"It is truly the Abyss living inside of Eimin that gives him his power. For thousands of years, Kolyn has been eating away at Eimin's humanity. When the last of that humanity is gone, Kolyn will be the most powerful being in existence, older than any other living creature, older even than the Elders. Nothing short of the Powers That Be will be able to stop him."

"Wait, then how are we supposed to defeat him?"

At that moment an enormous chime resounded through the halls.

The man laughed. "It seems the Elders are coming together for a meeting. You must go."

Instantly, they were standing where they began on the ledge.

Sokka scratched his head. "Well, that was a wonderful history lesson."

Aang laughed and pointed. "Hey look! Stairs!"

* * *

"Hi, Haku!"

Haku turned and watched the keeper of the Library walk up to him. They were in a large circular chamber, probably the only chamber in the Library not filled with books.

"Hello, Tome."

Tome snapped his finger and smiled. "So that's what my name was. I couldn't remember, that I could not. Will you need anything?"

"No, Tome, but you can watch after these for me."

Haku handed him the scrolls Zyperis had given him and watched the keeper squeal with delight at having something new to file. He then turned to greet the man and woman who had appeared in the chamber with him.

The woman was tall with black hair that nearly swept the floor. Her dress shimmered and seemed to be made of dragon scales. Her eyes had yellow sclera and black diamond pupils.

The man wasn't quite as tall as the woman. His eyes were golden like an eagle's and while his head was covered in thick black hair, it thinned and gave way to black feathers over his neck.

Haku frowned. "Tome apparently failed to inform me of Selendrion and Olome's death."

The woman's expression didn't change but the man lowered his head.

"I am Antaram." She said. "I was Selendrion's mate."

Haku nodded in response.

"I am Skandranon," the man added on. "Olome was my father."

Nodding again, Haku seemed to sink a little lower.

"You know Eimin is free again in this world. The Key and the Spirit of the Four need to be watched. He already managed to kill the Spirit but my sister Kanna rescued him from the afterlife. This is something a Ki-Lin can only do once. I have…"

He trailed off, his face darkening and for the first time Antaram showed an expression on her stone face. It was of concern.

Straightening, Haku continued. "I have much to do to prepare for the battle that will come. The Speaker and I have worked out a plan."

"The Speaker? He's in on this too?"

Haku nodded. "His fate was bound the day he was born."

Antaram looked to the only window in the room, a window that gave in no light and led nowhere.

"I will look after the Key."

Skandranon shrugged. "Then I will look after the Spirit."

Then they were gone, their passage in this path decided.

Haku sighed. There was so much to do.

* * *

They were climbing the stairs out of the Library. Sokka was the first one to reach the surface. He turned back and opening his mouth to say something. Katara looked up to meet his gaze as she heard him gasp.

The feathers of an arrows had blossomed from his chest.


	33. Freedom

"It's a strange thing, but when you are dreading something, and would give anything to slow down time, it has a disobliging habit of speeding up."

-J.K. Rowling, "The Hungarian Horntail," _Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire_, 2000

* * *

**Chapter 6**

The campfire was dying and Rou poked at the coals, trying to stir the last bits of life from them. Breakfast had been quick and eaten with frosty hands from beneath thick blankets. The change in weather had Jun flustered but Rou just took it in stride.

He felt the scream before he heard it. Even then, he knew that no one around him heard it. Still, the sound forced him to his feet and he took off running before Jun could register he was up.

"Rou!" he heard her shout as he ran but he didn't turn back or slow his step.

Somehow his feet found a place in the brush, branches thinner than his fingers supporting his weight.

He slid to a stop in a clearing when his way was blocked by a dark-haired man, perhaps nineteen maybe twenty.

The man said nothing but he had an aura Rou didn't like. Straightening from his crouch, Rou faced him sternly.

"I heard a scream." Rou stated to the man.

The man said nothing, his head remaining down.

Rou heard the brush behind him crashing and knew Jun was coming. When he turned back towards the front, the man had vanished.

Jun burst into the clearing on the back of Shirshu but the moment she was visible something hard connected with her side. She flew across the clearing and into a tree, sliding limply to the ground.

Shirshu screamed in anger. The man was poised on Shirshu's saddle, one arm stretched out to the side. He slammed his heel down and Shirshu whined in pain before falling to the ground.

Rou yelled in anger before he attacked the man but he had not been trained to deal with someone like him. The man was fast and seemed to know what he was going to do before he did it. His body moved without a purposeful thought. All he could feel was anger as his hands pushed forward, driving to cause the man pain.

* * *

Katara screamed when she saw the arrow in her brother's chest. She whipped out the Kun from its sheathe over her back and the frozen blade glowed with her anger. Leaping up the last few steps, the Kun whipped the newly fallen snow into bullets of frozen ice piercing the fire-benders' armor and destroying the YuuYans' bows.

The air around her crackled with power, haunting her, making every breath an eternity. Rage pumping blood through her body with echoing beats of her heart, so slow though she knew it was pounding.

Toph leapt up and as she landed the earth rumbled scattering the remaining fire-benders. Aang twisted on his heels, binding Katara's legs from the knee down. Unsteady, she nearly fell trying to keep her balance.

The fire-benders fled but the damage was done. Hot tears fell from her azure eyes as she turned. Aang released her from the earth and Katara pulled Sokka's head into her lap from where he had fallen.

* * *

Rou fell to his knees gasping for air that just wasn't there. He felt rather than saw the man stop behind him.

"Come on, remember, remember the power you were gifted with."

Rou turned his head slightly and wiped a bit of blood from his lip. The man's gloved hand connected with his jaw.

Jun screamed as the man brutally beat him but she was unable to move.

Gritting his teeth against the pain, Rou barely struggled as the man grabbed him by the throat and held him at least a foot off the ground at arm's length. A white sphere framed by dark spires began to form in the man's free hand. The man was saying something but Rou couldn't quite understand. Then he realized that the man was speaking the Old Language.

"_If I have to kill you to awaken your soul, I will." _

Rou grabbed the man's fist.

"_That won't be necessary, Son of those forgotten."_

The man smiled.

"_At last you return. Even the Ki-Lin's magic could not release the spell holding you back."_

Rou blinked and the man was gone. Shirshu shook his head and stood, apparently unharmed as was Jun.

"What was that?" she asked, shakily standing as though winded.

Rou shook his head. "We need to go. I now understand why I was born in this time, in this place. I now understand who I am and I am needed elsewhere."

* * *

The snow was falling faster now making his obsidian coat stand out. The wind drove his mane into his face as he waited. At last she appeared from the dark glades of the forest. Her emerald eyes stood out against the onyx of her hide.

"Eldest Haku," She said, dipping her alicorn in respect.

"Chiemi," He replied, nodding to her.

As she raised her head those wise eyes so colored for the element she used to represent glistened brightly. They were quickly joined by a young Ki-Lin, barely visible in the wind and snow, his sea foam mane and tail shipping about wildly. His coat had just begun to darken.

Chiemi turned in response to his arrival and greeted him. He bowed his head to Haku, his sides covered in sweat pulsing with his heavy breath.

"Greetings, my lord Haku," he panted. "My name is Iritani, taking the place of Yaotel."

Haku nodded. "I am glad you are both here."

Chiemi moved forward and laid her neck against his. She already knew her place in this matter.

Haku tolerated the touch for a short minute before turning to Iritani.

"Yaotel was a great warrior. His experience will be sorely missed."

Iritani gathered himself before answering. "Forgive me, sir. I may be young to you but my lack of experience does not mean I am not a great warrior."

"It's true," Chiemi said softly. "He did not get to lead the Ki-Lin armies without having skill."

"Ready your armies for an epic war, Iritani. I have a feeling our people will be greatly depleted by the soon to come battles."

Iritani bowed his head and Chiemi laid her head across Haku's withers. As Iritani cantered off to ready his troops, Chiemi sighed.

"I never thought I would be next, uncle."

Haku managed a chuckle at his niece's comment. "Nor did I, little one, nor did I."

* * *

"Why is this happening?" Katara choked out. She couldn't stop the pain that kept trying to burst from her ribcage.

Sokka drew harsh breaths while Aang looked at the arrow, trying to see it as Katara or another healer would. Toph raised her head after a moment.

"Enemy approaching fast!"

Sokka sat up, drawing his machete to him. "You guys get out of here."

Katara wrapped an arm around him but he shoved her back as he stood.

"No, Katara, I'm not going to make it and you won't get to Appa if you take me with you."

Aang gripped his staff hard, glaring at the woods where he could now hear the underbrush crashing. Katara started to draw the Kun once more feeling that Aang would stand by her in her decision to stay.

Then Aang grabbed her about the waist and began to run for Appa, calling the bison's name, with Toph in close pursuit. Katara screamed to distraught to fight against the younger's grip. As Appa carried them into the air, she watched Sokka fall once more until the woods faded into the sudden rain clouds.

* * *

Nen froze in the hall of the Fire Nation palace, the tea tray she'd been carrying to Admiral Min's room falling and shattered on the glistening floors. Her hands frozen where they were, her eyes were wide and her lips slightly parted. She was trembling and a guard rushed forward and caught her as she fell. There was no need to anger the Admiral by allowing his favorite slave to injure herself.

She stared at her hands; they were shaking and trembling before her, clean dark skin calloused by hard work and care.

To her goddess' eye, black chains were falling from them and shattering. Pulling herself up, she ran from the guard and up the stairs at the right of the end of the hall, barely missing a group of Fire Nation nobility who called curses after her. The guard was chasing her now as she moved into a section of the palace she wasn't allowed.

When she finally reached the door she wanted, it was heavy and she could barely push it back. She fell into Zyperis' arms when it slipped away from her and she nearly fell once again. A few Fire Nation officials stared at her in shock but she gripped his shoulder fiercely.

"What is happening to me, Zyperis? Where is Katara?"

Zyperis smiled slightly, making the dark circles under his eyes more pronounced.

"She's fine."

"Then how?"

"What were my father's exact words to you that day?"

She stopped and thought. One of the Fire Nation officials called Zyperis' name.

"'Serve me and your child shall not die.' Sokka!"

She pushed him back a step and dodged the guards at the door, running down the halls towards the balcony overlooking the sea. Without even slowing her step, she leapt onto the railing and out over the ocean.

The last of the black chains fell away and she was free from Eimin forever.

She hit the water letting her true form flow into her once more after so many years. Her body elongated as her arms stretched out into thin but wiry legs, her hands lengthening into webbed claws, and a dorsal fin erupted from her back.

Zyperis smiled as the shouts from the harbor reached the chamber he was in.

Now if Eimin could just do his job and capture the rest of the gods, the Balance would be set.

Waving the officials away, he took out a paper written in his own careful hand. Moving into the next room, he sank to rest on the chaise as he cautiously read over the spell again. Yes, he reassured himself, everything was set. He hadn't forgotten a thing.

The Spell of Blood was a complicated thing indeed and if one little thing was wrong then the whole spell would be lost. A combination of great darkness and great light, sacrifice and pain, a powerful soul, and of course the Balance of the world must be exactly pitched. It was all utterly impossible to think about.

A young scribe entered the prince's chamber to find that the young Peris was fast asleep. The scribe covered him with a crimson blanket and closed the light curtains before slipping away.

* * *

Katara was the first to hit the ground when Appa landed. Her body trembled with rage she couldn't express. She tore the Kun from her back and threw it across the clearing into the mud. It was followed by her bending canteen and the water-bending scrolls she kept with her.

"I can't do this anymore!" she shouted. "I don't want to save the world! I just want to go home and live with my family away from all this death and destruction!"

She sank to the ground, her rage turning to grief.

"Why did Sokka have to die? Tell me that!"

"Katara," Aang whispered.

"Oh just be quiet!" She sobbed. "How would you know what its like to lose a family member? First my mother, now Sokka, and I'm sure my father will die fighting in this pointless war! Why does this have to happen to me?"

A chuckle came from the edge of the clearing as the rain turned to snow. A man with dark hair dressed in a dark cloak and hood stood there. Even though the wind was cold his shirt was made of woven net. In contrast, he wore thick boots and heavy dark pants.

"Who are you?" Toph asked.

Katara scrambled to her feet. Already the puddles on the ground were beginning to frost over. The man walked over carrying an armful of wood. When he dropped the sticks in the middle of the clearing, Aang noticed every single piece was dry when it had been raining for hours. The man waved his hand over the pile of wood and they burst into flame. Warmth and light flooded the clearing as the fire burned merrily as if it had been lit for hours.

Sitting down, the man waved for them to join him. As he did, the earth rose and formed an elegant shelter over them, even covering Appa.

"My name is Haku and I am a Ki-Lin. I came to keep watch over you and answer some of your questions."


	34. The Son of Earth

AN: "Oshi" is a Japanese board game somewhat like chess. Name is derived from the Japanese word meaning 'push.'

AN: And by the way if you noticed how everyone comments when Korosu says his name, "korosu" means "murder."

AN: If you're wondering what the hell Zyperis is up to, Good.

* * *

**Chapter 7**

The water steamed over the tea leaves filling the room with a pleasant aroma. Zyperis replaced the teapot on the coals and sat back on his heels, placing his hands in his lap. Eimin picked up the scalding cup and sipped the near boiling water.

"Perfect, as always. Can you do nothing wrong?"

"I try." Zyperis said softly. Exhaustion was written in every line on his face and his eyes were half-closed.

"You changed the composition of your soul. How?"

"I was tired of dealing with my human emotions. I transferred the light of my soul into Shiroten and then killed him, effectively destroying all of my humanity."

Eimin chuckled. "I was wondering where he want. No loss though."

Then Eimin's voice deepened, sounding almost as if two voices were speaking from one mouth.

"I'm proud of you, Zyperis. This world needs more Abyss."

Zyperis ducked his head quickly. "Lord Kolyn, what an honor."

Kolyn chuckled. "Raise your head, boy. At least for the moment, let us speak as equals. I know what it is to deal with human emotions but with every day I grow stronger. Soon this human body will not restrict me and you have done a great deal in clearing the way for my destruction of this world."

He uttered a low growl. "Those brats in Origin didn't know what they were dealing with. If I had an inkling of my true strength at the time they would not have imprisoned me. I will destroy this world with the very power they would turn against me."

"We must capture the remainder of Alem's children."

Kolyn snorted derisively. "Yes, that was the main factor of my plans: defeating Alem with his own children and yet, how did Nen escape my grasp?"

"Her son was killed in a battle. You should've chosen your words more carefully."

Kolyn gave him a sharp glare before striking Zyperis across the mouth, causing him to fall to the floor.

Zyperis rose up on his right arm and tasted blood, forcing himself to relax.

"When you have lived half as long as I have," Kolyn snarled. "I may let you argue with me. Until then, don't lecture me on sorcery."

Zyperis sat up and retook his position. "Forgive me, my lord."

Kolyn retreated into his human body and Zyperis relaxed slightly. Dealing with Eimin was easier but dealing with Kolyn was…too complicated to risk. His gaze drifted to the Maiden, the sword Shiroten had forged for him, half-finished runes covering the blade.

* * *

Mamoru watched the figure of Agni in the night sky grow larger. Kaia came up behind him wrapped in a green shawl and he placed an arm around her. He could feel she was tense.

"Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you again."

"It's not that. Kioko is dead."

Mamoru gave her shoulders a little squeeze and she began trembling.

"What would've happened between us if we hadn't lost our son?"

He closed his eyes, gripping her shoulders unconsciously tight but she didn't notice.

"It is not the time to dwell on the past when the future is so uncertain."

She nodded and watched as Agni glided into the clearing. As he hovered over them, they both morphed into their true form: Mamoru into his wolf form and Kaia into the shape of a tigress.

The three then headed off to the south.

* * *

Cold sunlight streamed in through a gap in the tent's wall but the fire in the center was enough to chase the bare chill away. Haru sat up carefully as the world tried to spin around him and he blinked until it steadied and fell into place. His chest and right shoulder were wrapped in bandages.

Shakily standing, he turned his shoulder, testing it. Though stiff, it wouldn't hinder him much. A woman came in with a few small snow-covered branches and placed them on the fire where they hissed and crackled. She smiled at him.

"You're lucky you weren't hurt worse when you fell and lucky that Lord Korosu found you."

Haru raised his hand to his head at the world tried to flutter again and was distracted by the soft clinking of the beads on his wrist, the beads that had appeared from his dream. Again, those words that had caused his distraction in the snow flashed through his mind again.

_Rise, Son of Earth. _

He was an earth-bender: that was simple enough but he had a feeling that those words meant something more, much more than they were letting on.

A few hours later a soldier came and helped him dress then escorted him to a larger tent where several older men and one young one were gathered around a table littered with parchment and what looked like oshi pieces.

Haru stifled a cry when what he thought was part of the crimson tent moved and stepped into the light. It was a beautiful blood-colored Ki-Lin with flaxen wings extending nearly to the top of the tent. She stepped forward and placed her head over the shoulder of the young man listening to the generals.

The young man turned his head and met Haru's gaze. His eyes were yellow, like a wolf's, and gave off the same predatory hunger. Haru set his jaw and forced himself to step forward.

Just then, the beads hanging from his wrist began to whine. Haru stepped back and covered them with his free hand, looking around trying to think of an excuse but no one had even glanced up. The young man with the Ki-Lin was still looking at him and when Haru met his gaze again the beads' song rose in pitch. The man motioned for them to go outside and stepped out of the tent, the Ki-Lin following him.

Haru stepped out of the tent, back the way he came, and went around the side to find the young man walking away from the camp. He fell in step with the man and followed him to the river running just outside of the camp. The edges of the river were beginning to ice over from the cold and the sky looked ready to deliver another blanket of snow.

The young man looked at the sky and folded his arms into his crimson robe. The wind played with a few strands of hair that had fallen loose of his topknot.

"My name is Korosu."

Haru frowned. "That is a strange name."

"It's the only one I know. I do not remember anything before the Battle of Shian. Jeong Jeong says that I am the Son of Agni. I wouldn't know."

Haru remembered hearing the name of the Fire Nation deserter and looked closer at the man beside him, trying to place his face. He did look somewhat familiar.

"It seems our Heiki wanted us to meet."

"Our what?"

Korosu pulled a golden staff from his robe and with it tapped the gold and emerald beads on Haru's arm.

"Our Heiki, the weapons forged from the souls of Elementals to be wielded by the Prophesied Four."

Haru raised his hand and looked at the beads. He felt his heart speeding up as he remembered the Prophecy told to him by the gods. Shaking his head, he lowered his arm and broke the gaze of the young man.

"You know, when I heard that Prophecy, I felt sorry for the Four. Now I'm one of them."

Korosu smiled slightly, his gaze softening. "It seems the Powers That Be don't like giving choices."

_That's not true._

Haru jumped, looking startled around the clearing. "Who said that?"

Korosu narrowed his eyes. "You heard that? That was my Heiki speaking."

"They speak?"

'_They' are forged from souls of Elementals so naturally our conscious remains awake inside of them. _

"Close your eyes," Korosu whispered. "And listen."

Haru closed his eyes, the hand wrapped in beads gripped until his knuckles turned white. Beside him, Korosu lowered his head and closed his eyes, sinking deeper into the warm cloak around his shoulders.

Haru listened but all he heard was the noise of the camp. Women chasing their children, men sharpening their swords, the generals talking in the tent…wait, he could hear the generals as clearly as if they were standing next to him.

Korosu's deep calm breathing was suddenly as loud to him as the wind of the blizzard. Every sound was deep and solid, echoing in his breath. Shifting his weight, he heard his foot grind against the leaves and snow.

He was hearing the very earth, hearing his very soul.

When he opened his eyes, he was standing in the same place but there were subtle changes to the world around him, subtle but noticeable. The sounds of the camp were barely audible while the sound of the wind was as clear to him as his own thoughts.

A woman was standing in front of him. Korosu was still beside him but now a man stood behind him.

"Hiraishin has been training me."

Haru looked at the man behind Korosu. He was tall with all the characteristics he'd come to expect of a Fire Nation man but his eyes were softer. Then Haru turned to look at the woman.

"Hello Haru, my name was once Terumi."

"Was?"

"Technically," Hiraishin intercepted, "We are not alive. We are just Spirits inside the Heiki."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Terumi laughed. "We volunteered for the job."

Hiraishin smiled. "Immortality? The chance to save the world again? Who wouldn't have volunteered? But they forgot to mention how small our living space was."

Terumi laughed and Korosu smiled but Haru shook his head.

"This is too weird. How am I one of the Four now? I'm an earth-bender so shouldn't my job belong to the Daughter of Kaia?"

All three of them were immediately downcast. Korosu closed his eyes and looked away. Hiraishin frowned, his gaze darkening and Terumi sighed.

"The Daughter of Kaia is dead. They transferred her responsibility to Kaia's son."

Haru took a step back as he registered what she had said.

"Wait, that's not possible. My mother's name is Yukito. My father's name…"

"No. You were stolen by the Dark Sage Qing-Yuan in service to her master, Eimin. Your true parents are Mamoru and Kaia, the gods of Earth."

"I don't believe you. My parents raised me. They love me. They would never lie to me like that."

With the loss of his concentration, Haru slipped back into the normal.

Terumi nodded to Hiraishin and Korosu and they both disappeared, slipping back into the normal world and time then she sighed.

Korosu blinked and then looked at Haru who shook his head and raced back up the hill towards the camp, slipping on the snow some but disappearing quickly. Korosu sighed and watched the river flow.

Jin stepped out from behind a tree and stood by Korosu.

"What's his problem?"

Korosu didn't answer, just stared forward. Jin sighed and started to wrap her arms around him but then thought better of it and just stood next to him. Though he didn't acknowledge her, she stayed right by him, waiting even as the sun began to set.


	35. The Eldest KiLin

Life is the sum of all your choices. -Albert Camus

* * *

**Chapter 8**

Katara sat by the fire trembling, staring across the flames at the Ki-Lin. She remembered his name being said by the man in the library. They had been silent for a while now as Aang, Toph, and herself became used to the warmth. Sitting with her knees tucked to her chest, she studied the Ki-Lin's face.

The first thing she noticed of course was that his eyes were the most incredible blue that she had ever seen. She knew he had to be older than anything she could think off but he looked barely 3 years older than she was. The light deepened the dark circles beneath his eyes. If it weren't for these telltale signs of worry, the spell of ethereal beauty might not have been broken. Despite his smile and light way of talking, Katara could tell something was bothering him.

"You're the Eldest Haku. I remember the man in the Library said your name."

Haku chuckled lightly but didn't look away from the fire.

"Tome keeps forgetting to mention things to me."

The silence spilled on between them and at last, Haku sat back and folded his hands under his cloak.

"I see I'm not going to get anywhere until I mention dear Sokka."

Toph tried and failed to suppress a shuddering sob.

"He's really dead, isn't he?"

Aang placed an arm around her and trembled. Watching them only deepened the intense loneliness in her heart. She knew Sokka's death had affected them too but she had been so unselfish for so long, following Aang without hesitation. She had lost so much.

Haku sighed. The sound caught Katara's attention and she jerked her head up. The Ki-Lin's eyes were particularly glistening as he spoke his next words.

"I have no doubt your brother's death was part of the Speaker's plan."

Aang gripped his staff a little harder, glaring forward.

"If this Speaker killed Sokka, I'll kill him."

Haku didn't move or speak again for several minutes.

"I doubt you could, Avatar. The Speaker is stronger than Alem at times, could be stronger than I know."

"Who is this Speaker?" Katara asked, placing a hand on Aang's shoulder. She felt so far from him even as their flesh brushed.

"Perhaps I should start with what he is. He has had many names over the centuries: the Son, the Speaker, the Deceiver, the Child of Those Forgotten, etc. Yet, essentially, he was born of the Powers That Be and speaks for them, acting out what they cannot, existing in worlds they can't touch, and manipulating the Pattern of Life to fit their plan. It is his duty to make sure things turn out the way they should."

Katara tossed her head, holding back tears. "Well, with all you powerful immortals running around, why don't you take care of Kolyn and leave us alone?"

"Because when Kolyn strikes, he will be more powerful than anything you can imagine, stronger than the Speaker, stronger than me and the other Elders put together. When he breaks free of his prison, he will be the oldest thing alive."

"And 'nothing short of the Powers That Be can stop him.' The man in the Library said so. So how do we beat him? And the Speaker…what is he going to do to help us?" Aang snapped.

Haku raised his head and glared at the young Avatar. "You do realize that people are dying to help you everyday? They are those that are preparing to give their lives, to lay them down at your feet, when Kolyn comes. The Speaker, Antaram, Skandranon, myself…we are all prepared to follow the Four into battle."

Aang looked away, silent tears streaming down his face.

"I've lost friends and family."

"So have I." Haku replied softly. "The Speaker's plan killed my mate and child."

The silence stretched on with no one willing to speak after Haku. At long last, the Ki-Lin spoke again.

"We do what we must. Suffer as we must suffer. All for the greater good so that light may triumph over darkness."

He turned to Katara. "In each of the four Heiki, the weapons that the Four wield…"

Katara unconsciously reached for the Kun.

"In each of them resides a soul of an Elemental that lived in Origin, an Elemental that freely gave up his or her life preparing for this day. Those four souls combined with the will of the Four will release the Spell of Light, a spell carefully prepared by the Seer that foresaw this time and the Speaker millennia ago."

Katara took a deep breath. "Zuko and I, and Kioko, and Jet…we have to release this Spell of Light using our weapons when Kolyn is released. How?"

"Frankly, I'm not sure. However, I want to give you a bit of good news."

Aang smiled, trying to summon some of his once cheerful spirit. "What is that?"

"I believe there was a dual purpose to Sokka's death the first being of course to free Nen from Eimin's control and the second, I think, was to assist the god Alem in discovering his true power."

* * *

The path to the clearing was nothing but trampled brush that Shirshu stepped delicately over, hissing. Rou sat behind Jun on the saddle, leaning back and surveying the damage. His mind was back with the man who had begun to awaken memories that he could barely sort through before more came rushing in.

They were memories of fear, of desperation, and of very many battles.

He barely noticed when Jun stopped Shirshu and said, "It wasn't much of a battle."

* * *

The world was spinning rapidly. He saw himself, his life as if rewound, playing backwards but it continued as if time had lost its hold past his birth and on. At last everything came to a standstill. He was floating above a sea of silver grass, a mild wind brushing the blades back and forth.

"Hello Sokka,"

Sokka spun around as best he could. His form seemed to be shimmering.

"Yue!"

She smiled. "Yes, I'm here but you weren't supposed to die."

He shrugged. "It was a risk we all took."

* * *

Rou slipped from the saddle to land softly on the ground. He felt as if he knew the Water Tribe soldier from somewhere but he couldn't place the face. Three arrows stuck out from the teenager's chest and Rou pulled them out as gently as he could as he rolled the still warm corpse onto its back and kneeled behind its head.

Jun jumped down onto the grass. "Rou, what are you doing?"

Rou smoothed a loose strand of hair from the boy's forehead. "I haven't done this in a while."

* * *

Minutes passed like hours and they just sat on the silver hillside, his arms wrapped around his princess and his face buried in her hair. Her hand rested on his chest, her head nuzzled underneath his chin. He tilted her chin up and kissed her.

* * *

Rou leaned down and pressed his lips to the soldier's.

Jun watched as light erupted through the clearing enveloping Rou and the soldier. Shirshu reared up on his hind legs and shook himself when he landed.

"Rou?" Jun whispered.

The light was gone as suddenly as it had appeared. Jun rushed over to Rou as he stood up. She followed his gaze to the soldier and gasped as he blinked and opened his eyes, sitting up slowly.

Furrows appeared in Rou's forehead. "Something is wrong. Were you kissing anyone when I revived you, Sokka?"

Sokka spun around. "How do you know my name? Who are you?"

Rou smiled. "I believe I am the god you know as Alem."

* * *

Chief Arnook knelt in the oasis by the pool of Tui and La, placing his head in his hands. He said nothing, pleading with his heart and mind for his people.

Before him, the Moon Spirit began to glow slightly. When he looked up, there was a young woman lying naked in the grass across the pool, her silver white hair falling over her body.

Rushing over, Arnook took off his cloak and wrapped her in it as she pushed herself up on her hands. She looked up wonderingly.

"Daddy?"

"Oh dear goddess, my Yue."

* * *

"Where do you think you're going?"

Haru stopped. "How did you get here before me?"

Korosu had even managed to change clothes from the normal Fire Nation clothing to black pants with a loose black cotton shirt.

"It was too predictable. Knowing what you would do gave me plenty of time to plan. If you're going to the children, they are already safely in the camp. If you are going home, I won't let you."

Haru tore the beads from his wrist and threw them at Korosu's feet.

"You can't make me be one of the Four!"

Korosu picked up the beads. "The appropriate response now is that you don't have a choice, but you do. I'm simply not going to allow you to make the choice you are making."

"So now you're going to control my decisions? Make them for me?"

Haru stepped forward, drawing a large ball of earth up and holding it in front of him.

"Get out of my way!"

Just as the last word left his mouth, his lungs deflated as the rock in front of him exploded and a fist connected with his diaphragm. He was thrown back several feet, landing on his back stunned and gasping for breath.

He recovered his breath and slammed his fists into the ground as he jumped up sending shockwaves across the ground. Rushing forward, Haru sought to catch Korosu while he still struggled with his balance but when he got through the cloud of dust to where Korosu had been, the fire-bender wasn't there.

Haru then felt a hand grasp his chin and shove him up and backwards again. This time he fell on his feet and glared back at Korosu standing in front of him so nonchalantly.

"Why are you doing this, Haru? Will you let the world die because you cannot except that the mother and father you know are not your parents?"

Haru began to shiver. "You don't understand. I have to hear it from them."

"We don't have time for you to travel home. The Fire Nation could attack at any time and with them comes Eimin."

Shaking his head, Haru stood. Korosu met his gaze with what seemed to be sympathy.

"Yukito and Tyro will always love you yet if you return to them then our battle against Eimin will fail. It may take some time afterwards, but eventually the village you call home will be overcome with shadow."

Korosu tossed the beads up and caught them.

"If you want to let the world die then you are my enemy and I will break every bone in your body and carry you back until you change your mind."

Haru stared back at him trying to catch his breath. Both of Korosu's moves has been specially placed to incapacitate him instead of wound him. He did not want to get into a full-fledged battle with him.

"It gets easier." Korosu said softly.

"Easier?"

"To live with the fact that your real parents don't want you."

Haru stood a little straighter. "Guess I've been a little selfish." He sighed. "I'd better go apologize to Terumi."

Korosu smiled. "I'm sure she'll understand."

* * *

It had long since stopped snowing and the night sky was dark with cloud that promised more to come. Katara wrapped her cloak around her and walked out to the edge of the cliff they had camped on. The wind whipped the waves below into froth, churning as if with her troubled heart.

"You should be inside. The others are already asleep."

Katara smiled. "I didn't hear you come up."

Haku nodded. "A trait of my kind."

"What did you mean when you said you didn't know how the Spell of Light would work?"

"I'm not a sorcerer so I don't know the fine details. I just know what is supposed to happen. The Speaker will know what to do."

Katara frowned. "This Speaker…have we met him in our travels? I mean, he just seems to be such a major part of everything…"

"Yes," Haku cut her off. "You've met him."

She swallowed hard. "He seems so cruel, taking away those that people love. Can't he change his plans so not as many people get hurt?"

"He did deviate from his plans…once…and sustained such a personal loss he swore never to do so again."

Katara looked at Haku. "What happened?"

"I mentioned the Seer who wrote the Prophecy inside. Shortly after Alem and his followers left Origin to form this world, the Speaker went to her for her help in forging the Heiki. He needed a spell to withdraw the souls of the Elementals and place them in the Heiki. She agreed to help him and because there were many special ingredients needed, he stayed with her until the spell could be finished."

"He fell in love with her."

"And she with him. He abandoned his duty to forge the Heiki to be with her. But you see, the Seer's gift of foresight had aged her body preternaturally. Even though she was young, her skin was wrinkled and her bones fragile. The people who lived in the village below her house believed that she had bewitched him into staying with her because he was a beautiful man. One night, they attacked her house and killed her believing it would break the spell on him."

Katara trembled. "But he wasn't under a spell. What happened then?"

"The Speaker left the town to continue his quest for the Heiki. He believed he had been punished for leaving his plans and blamed himself for her death. He swore never to forsake his duty again and named the spell they had concocted together the Spell of Punishment."

"How many spells are there?"

"Thousands but I only know three: the Spell of Punishment, the Spell of Light, and the Spell of Blood."

Katara sat down in the snow. "I guess we all sacrifice for the greater good."

Haku nodded. "It is necessary evil."


	36. The Speaker

**Chapter 9**

Haku turned to Katara. "Would you like to meet the Speaker?"

She turned sharply. "Meet him?"

"I'm not sure how he would like it, but I feel you have a right to know who he is."

Haku frowned. "In fact, I doubt he would like it at all. I don't think you'd like it either. When you met him, he was an enemy to you."

Katara stood firm, holding her head high. "I don't care. I have to know how I'm supposed to defeat Kolyn and according to you, he's the only one who knows."

There was a soft flutter of wind and Haku stood beside her in his Ki-lin form. She suddenly felt insignificant beside him. If he had been intimidating in his human form, it was nothing compared to now.

Slowly, he bent one knee and knelt before her clearly indicating what she was to do but she stood still.

Haku chuckled, a deep sound from within his chest.

"I have only offered my back to one human besides you. Don't be afraid."

Katara walked forward and swung her leg over his back. As he stood, she felt the surge of power beneath her and threw her arms around his neck.

* * *

Ziri sat with a sigh on the nearest boulder he could find next to the stream, peeling off his clothes to bathe. Kanna had not let them rest, pushing him on to what she called his duty. He had worn his clothes until they were as tough as his boots and then worn them still. At last, she said they could stop; however, she did not rest as he did. Instead she stood a ways away, unmoving, ever looking to the south beyond the trees, her snow white cloak unmoved by the gentle breeze.

The water was edged with ice and chilled him to the bone but it felt so good to be clean for the first time in so long. He scrubbed his clothes and then wrapped up in his own cloak to wait for them to dry. Unlike his regular clothes, the cloak Kanna had given him never became caked with ice, or made him too hot, or became stiff with over-wearing.

Wrapped in the cloak even the snow didn't seem as cold and he walked over to the edge of the cliff where the stream erupted into beautiful waterfall. He sat by the edge and looked over. The crevice in the earth was deep. The water disappeared into the black abyss and it seemed to fall forever with no echo of the torrential crash at the bottom.

"Something my brother used to say," Kanna stated. "'When you look into the abyss, the abyss also looks into you."

Below him, something seemed to move. Ziri leaned further over the edge to get a better look. Again, it seemed like the bottom of the crevice was moving. Whatever was down there was huge.

Suddenly Kanna grabbed him by the back of the neck and threw him backwards. Ziri skidded over the snow until he came to a stop. When he looked back to her, she had changed into her Ki-Lin form and an enormous dark cloud was rising up from the crevice.

* * *

_Fire…the trees…_

_Dark shapes…arrows…_

_Blood…her blood…_

* * *

Zyperis treaded softly to where the Fire Lord lay dying. He pressed his cheek to the man's upraised hand and closed his eyes.

"All goes well." He said, talking as much to himself as to Ozai.

The sick man smiled. "I knew it would with you taking charge."

Zyperis smiled weakly. Ozai raised his free hand and patted his cheek.

"You look thin, Peris. You are taking care of yourself aren't you?"

"I admit I'm stretching myself thin. I want so much to live up to those before me."

It was strange that this man, this victim of his, was the only one he could speak to honestly.

"Don't forget yourself." Ozai replied. "You can't appear like this to the people. You have dark circles under your eyes and you look half-starved."

He called to a servant and ordered her to bring them some food.

"I'm just afraid," Zyperis continued, lying down next to the Fire Lord who wrapped an arm around him.

"I'm afraid that I've missed something, that something I've not foreseen is going to happen and all will go horribly wrong."

"We make mistakes to learn from them. I don't think you've ever made one."

Zyperis sighed. "That's why I'm afraid. Have I done things too well?"

Ozai chuckled but did not reply. By the time the maid had returned with food, the Fire Lord was asleep and Zyperis was gone.

* * *

Sokka ate with gusto like one half-starved. The inn was large but quiet, travelers too tired to engage in much conversation. Jun ignored the reborn Water Tribe soldier for she had eyes only for Rou. He had been rather quiet the past couple of days, his eyes almost weary now.

Noticing her gaze, he turned and smiled. "Where to next, Jun?"

She shrugged and the boy stopped eating long enough to throw in a word.

"I have to find Katara and Aang and Toph! They probably still think I'm dead."

Rou's smile grew somber but remained there none the less and he nodded.

"Yes, I think that's the way we should go."

Sokka shoved another mouthful in. "By the way," he said, muffled by the chewing of food, "Who are you guys again?"

"Jun," she replied for the fifth time.

"I'm…Rou." He responded and Jun noted the hesitation. She wondered but she said nothing.

* * *

Katara was surprised when her body fell in line with Haku's step instantly as they skipped across the waves with a speed she couldn't comprehend. He moved as lithely as a cat, surefooted over the storm waves. The rain which should've hit her like bullets never made it to her skin.

With her hands wrapped in his silken mane, she couldn't enjoy the experience with the apprehension of meeting the Speaker just ahead of her.

Maybe he knew if Zuko was okay.

* * *

_Deception…disgrace…_

He hadn't shed a tear in centuries. Even when he had left, it had been dry sobs that wracked his body until he collapsed.

"You lied to me, Haku."

Katara looked around sharply. She'd barely felt Haku stop moving. They were in a place she'd never seen before but a dark aura from in front of her made her feel sick. At the top of a hill before them stood another Ki-Lin and a dark-haired man and she slipped down from Haku's back suddenly glad she had brought the Kun.

"Chiemi," Haku said, walking forward and Katara followed. The Ki-Lin nodded to him before returning her gaze forward. The dark-haired man wore a mask over most of his face, only showing his mouth. The mask was pure white and carved in the likeness of a creature she'd never seen before, some type of large cat. The rest of his clothing was black giving the mask a look of floating against the night sky.

Haku turned. "I did not lie to you. I said the pain would heal with time. I did not say how long it would take."

Katara spun around. "It's you?"

The Speaker turned and she could feel his stare through the eyes in his mask and Katara shook her head and drew the Kun, holding it between him and her. The frozen blade began to glow with her anger.

"You killed my brother!"

"Katara!" Haku said reproachfully but she stood there, shaking. However, the Speaker did not draw the blade that hung on his back.

"Your brother's alive, Katara. His death fulfilled two purposes, releasing your mother from her bondage and bringing Alem into his true power, the power over life and death. "

"Why must you be so cold," she cried, tears spilling down her tired cheeks. "So cruel,"

He sighed. "Someone must be. You may hate me for it but admit it must be done. Someone must make the decisions no one else can make. It is Fate that is cruel, I only speak for it."

The Kun fell to the ground and she cried soundlessly. Behind the mask, his gaze softened.

"In answer to your next question, Zuko is well."

Katara dropped the Kun but the Speaker stepped forward and caught her as she fell. It felt so strange lying there in the arms of the man who'd caused so much pain and being watched by two immortal creatures.

"Tell me there's a happy ending."

She felt his smile rather than saw it.

"Happy endings are just stories that haven't finished yet. But there will be peace for you."

He gently pulled her to her feet and she followed his gaze to the valley below them. Chiemi and Haku were watching as well and in the valley floor a hole opened, the earth falling in as if it had been eaten away from below.

Chiemi laid her ears back flat and stamped a hoof. "Please tell me we can kill them, Speaker."

Katara looked to the masked man and he seemed to contemplate for a moment. Then he drew the sword from its sheathe on his back.

"Yes. I think it's time we let Kolyn know we're here."

Katara picked up the Kun and Chiemi drew herself up. Haku merely gave himself a mild shake. At first Katara couldn't see what they were talking about and then something moved in the valley floor.

People…no…things were crawling out of the hole in the valley floor; grotesque manifestations of something that might have been living centuries ago but clearly was no more. The moon fell on the swarm and one such creature raised its head. Katara automatically recoiled. The thing had no eyes, two slits for nostrils and a gaping hole where its mouth should've been. It gave an unearthly screech and she could actually see its vocal cords vibrating.

"You shouldn't have brought her, Haku." The Speaker said.

Katara shook her head. "I'll have to face them sometime or another."

"For Mother." Chiemi said softly.

"For life," Haku said.

The Speaker remained silent for a moment but then spoke.

"For Ana."

Katara closed her eyes. She felt as if the Kun itself was speaking to her. She raised the blade straight over her head.

"_Notame Heiwa!" _She shouted at the top of her lungs.

She blinked with surprise as the Speaker thrust his sword into the air beside hers and shouted the same. Chiemi screamed it while raised on her hind legs and Haku gave a fearsome cry as they all thrust forward. She had little time to think about what it was she had said before the first of the undead was upon them. At first Katara froze, unable to think, when the snarling beast was split in half by the Speaker's sword.

Then instinct took over. The Kun flew, sliced, and hacked through the never-ending onslaught of demon flesh.

* * *

Jet gasped, the frozen tundra making it hard to breathe. Kazearashi looked at him coldly.

"Get up," she said.

He stood, the muscles in his legs trembling. The Hiketsu felt like a thousand pounds hanging from his neck.

"I can barely stand, Kaze…"

"Do you think your enemies will wait until you are well rested?" she retorted.

He sat in the snow and put his head in his hands. As he did so, the Spirit Realm faded and he shook his head, barely able to stand and crawl into his sleeping bag.

* * *

The three had been having a rough time since leaving Tasha. Peris had gotten the word around faster than Azula had planned and they had to run. She had felt no guilt in leaving the camp in ashen ruins however finding the Avatar again would be difficult.

They began raiding Fire Nation patrols and supply chains. Azula had all the information locked away in her head but she felt low being that this was all she could do.

Ty Lee slipped behind a tree, the girl nimble and thin enough to hide behind it. Azula motioned for Mai to move ahead and she appeared from her hiding place, taking out the two guards silently with two throwing stars.

Azula snapped forward, Ty Lee right behind her, and they took out the remainder of the guards. Mai started to signal for the refugees hidden in the trees when Azula raised a hand for silence. There was still an enemy in the area.

She sent an arc of lightning through the nearby trees and a young man dove out from his hiding place to dodge. He landed roughly in the dirt and sent her a glare.

Azula knew those eyes, she knew them very well, the eyes of the demon that had attacked her and Jet with his monstrous dragon and that had nearly killed her by pretending to be Zuko. She screamed ethereally and attacked him with repetitive bursts of lightning which he narrowly dodged. Before he could counter, she was upon him, pressing him to the ground with her foot on his throat. He swallowed and looked up at him.

"Give me a reason why I shouldn't kill you right now." She spat.


	37. The Death of Shasa

**Chapter 10**

* * *

You've never truly loved someone until you've considered murdering them. –Chelsea Guy

* * *

He reached up as the snow fell around them, turning the simple hillside into a frozen paradise.

"_Don't." she warned as his hand brushed the cloth of her hood. _

_However, he didn't hesitate to push the cloth away and she looked away, a thin line of tears forming at her sunken eyes. The yellow papyrus skin was pulled taut over her skull and what had once been beautiful hair hung in sallow strands. Her cheeks and eyes were sunken. She looked like something that should not be living. _

_Taking her skeletal face in his hands, she looked up at him and two twin tears fell from her eyes. Oh, her eyes, they shone like the windows to her very soul and what he saw there was as beautiful as her body was decayed. They gleamed like a cloudless noon sky and glowed like the first star in the twilight evening. _

_The light in those sapphire orbs changed as she realized the look on his face as not one of disgust but of wonder. Against the brilliant snow, his dark hair flew on the wind and flowed over her like silk. He radiated that constant aura of ethereal beauty, of something she should not touch lest she mar his perfection. _

_She gasped as against the cold wind came the warmth of his lips against hers._

_It was raining. It poured onto the mountain making the normally smooth pathway a treacherous landslide. The clear moisture dripped like blood from his obsidian locks and amber eyes glanced back to the fire glow against the horizon. They were burning her home. _

_He shifted her to a more secure position and she clutched him as he ran on. _

_A section of shale fell away beneath him and he slid on the sheer cliffside for a moment before catching a limb and he pulled them back onto sturdy ground. _

_The shouts told him they were being followed._

_Blood dripped from her wounds and he tried to get his bangs to stay out of his way so he could fix them. _

"_Sae…" she caught his hand. "You have to finish the spell. It's almost done." _

_He pushed her hand away a little rougher than he intended. _

"_I don't care about the spell. I care about you." _

_She slapped him with all of her strength she could muster which wasn't much, it barely hurt but it shocked him more so. _

"_Ana…" _

"_If you choose me and let the world die, I will hate you forever. The spell is almost finished. All it needs now…" _

"_No!" _

"…_my blood." _

"_You cannot ask this of me!" _

"_It's the only way. I'd die someday anyway. Please." _

_He laid his head against her chest, crying the last tears he'd every cry, sobbing without shame. She patted his hair gently. He raised his hands and kissed her, his lips brushing against hers feather light and repeatedly as he hands traced her jaw line ever gentle and settled over her throat. _

_At first she didn't react as he continued kissing her, resolved to her fate. Then her body jerked, rebelling as it tried to save itself but it was no match for his iron grip. It gave one last spasm and lay still and he was kissing a corpse. _

_Later, her lifeblood poured into the vat, still warm, as the tears dried on his face, a cold mask settling over him. The potion began to swirl and changed from a deep orange to a faint opaque purple. As well, half of it boiled off leaving just enough for four bottles if he stretched it. Dropping her body, he went outside, knelt in the mud, and screamed. _

* * *

Shiroten stared up blankly at the Fire Princess he'd once tried to kill. He was almost surprised she'd recognized him. He listened to her words and relaxed beneath her.

"There isn't one."

Azula's brow furrowed in confusion and she frowned. Shiroten sighed.

"Does it bother you when your enemy does not object to being killed? Go ahead. The world wouldn't change."

"I've got a better idea." Azula replied. "You're going to explain things to me."

She pulled him up and shoved him back to the fighters with them and they quickly bound him and forced him to his knees.

"Salvage what you can." She said to the troops. "We move in an hour."

Two guards stayed with Shiroten who didn't look up from the mud between his knees.

* * *

Iroh dodged between the shadows, making it to the western tower without being seen. The tower had been closed off after a cave in of the nearby mountain, making the foundation unstable. It had been his favorite hiding place as a child.

Settling in one of the more stable rooms, he sat down and began to meditate, humming lightly under his breath. After Ozai had become sick, he'd been labeled a traitor to the Fire Nation and was hunted day and night. After Kanna took Ziri, he returned to the Fire Nation to try and determine what exactly was going on. There were two battling spiritual presences hovering over the capital and it was to these that he pushed his spirit, trying to understand them.

They were both incredibly immense, swirling about each other but never really touching, like oil and water. The dark one had been growing ever since he'd first sensed it but the other, kind of a light gray, remained the same size. However, it was so enormous he couldn't see the end of it. It seemed to expand over everything. There were strips of dark oil present in it now.

He reached out, trying to touch the darker presence. If he could figure out who that was, he could find out who Eimin's contact in the capital was and maybe be able to counter him. He pressed against the oily barrier carefully.

Zyperis stopped dead in the middle of the hallway he was passing down.

Iroh yelped as he was snatched out of the Spirit World, his body crushed into the wall. A masked man was holding him there with one arm.

"What in the hell did you think you were doing, Iroh?" the man hissed. "You could've ruined everything!"

Iroh stared in surprise. "Who are you? How did you know I was here?"

Behind the mask, Iroh could feel the man narrow his gaze before lowering him so that he could stand.

"I am the Speaker."

Iroh blinked, more startled that ever. "Has it gotten that large? That even the Powers That Be interfere? That they send their Child?"

The Speaker hesitated briefly before nodding. "If Kolyn gains control of this world, he will have control of every world."

Iroh nodded. "Life as we know it will cease to exist."

The Speaker raised his head. "Life itself will cease."

* * *

The powder burned like acid against his bare skin as they were all shoved through the line. Korosu struggled not to breathe as others coughed and ground against him. He did not draw a breath until water scrubbed the white secretion from his pores and they were handed their new uniforms. He patted the shoulder of the recruit next to him as they dressed. The recruit nodded to him, still coughing.

Dressed, they were shoved outside, their hair pulled roughly into topknots and any excess sheared off. Then they were passed along to the next stop. A few of the officers along the way tried attacked them with bamboo shafts. Korosu would have none of it though several let themselves be hit, too tired from the day's workout to care. However, Korosu grabbed the shaft thrust at him and jabbed it backwards hard enough to knock the wind from its owner. Then he was thrown back into line.

A voice crept over them as they were lashed into ranks, some barely able to stand after the brutal treatment. Korosu stared blankly forward, his eyes red from the powder and the beatings, his skin sore, but his anger fresh. The screams he heard were not of the new recruits around him.

_Returning to the camp after a day's training, he broke into a run at smoke rising above the trees. Black smoke. _

_Where the camp had been there was only charred remains of tents and bodies. The men had returned to find their women and children brutally massacred, several looking as though they'd been burned alive. The field was alive with screams of agony. What was worse were the ones that knelt in the ashes and made no sound, staring forward. _

"You will concentrate into the flame. Do not try to make it grow or lessen, just concentrate. Your potential will be judged and you will be separated into one of the three lines ahead. Any attempt to sway yourself in one of the three directions with result in severe punishment."

"_How can we prepare ourselves for such attacks? They have spies, scouts…"_

"Next."

"_I'll go."_

Korosu watched as each recruit to the Fire Nation army went before the flame of Kimeru, a flame from the original source of fire-bending, the dragons, kept burning. Somehow beyond their understanding, the flame could judge the potential of fire-benders before it and remained the impartial judge of which branch the recruits would be placed in.

He was jerked out of line and shoved before the flame. So far he'd seen three signs: a cross, a diamond, and a 'Y'. But there was a fourth section, a fourth sign he had to get. He had to surpass them all and get into the Fire Lord's Elite. It was the only way to get the information necessary. He knew he had to get into it and this flame was in his way.

He stepped forward. _Please see in me what I am. Help me._

The flame observed him quietly for a moment before spreading itself into two long arms. One of the men sitting behind the flame started to write something down but the other man caught his arm. For the flame wasn't through. Instead of extending the arms of the 'Y' out to the side, they circled each other, falling forward over the bowl. The flame seemed to be _bowing _to him.

Then it exploded, rising into a pillar higher than the very pagoda.

* * *

Shiroten made no sound as the snow began falling heavier, staining the ground a brilliant white. Azula paced the ground in front of him, trying to figure out what to do.

"You work for Eimin."

Shiroten shook his head minutely which made Azula stop. When half the tree he was leaning against vanished under her lightning, he didn't blink.

"I know you work for him!"

"Worked…past tense."

Azula accepted this. Ty Lee stood nearby, her hands folded in front of her. Mai stood nearby.

"You seemed pretty cozy with Peris at Taiyoo." The moody girl mused.

Azula noted Shiroten's reaction to this statement, his lids drooped and a weight seemed to settle on his shoulders, his gaze drifting from her to the snow beside her boots. Somehow, she recognized that look. Death would be the kindest thing to the jilted angel before her. She had to admit, he wasn't bad looking.

Turning, she knelt in front of Shiroten and gently turned his head to meet her gaze. Those emerald eyes didn't suit him. They looked better silver-rimmed.

"What do you know about Peris?"

The jade orbs grew sad. "More than you could comprehend in a night."

* * *

Shasa glanced up from where she knelt. There was rarely anything to do anymore. Makani had been taken away for some purpose or another and it seemed that Nen had escaped Eimin's grasp, thank Alem.

The sight that greeted her sparked her hopes for the barest of moments before she leveled a death glare at the demonic god before her. Who happened to look just like her fiery husband.

"You like?" Eimin asked, taunting before turning a full circle, showing off his guise as Agni dressed head to toe in Fire Nation armor. But Agni didn't have that evil glint in his eye.

Shasa glared. "I thoroughly hate your shape-shifting capabilities."

Eimin grinned. "Well, your dear mate is the spirit of the Fire Nation, which I am manipulating wonderfully."

"You mean Zyperis is. I haven't seen you lift a finger."

But the smile the death god possessed didn't waver.

"Why should I interfere when he's doing such a good job? Besides, I have my own duties to tend to. Yet, it will be increasingly difficult to be both Min and Agni. Wouldn't it be nice if Agni himself decided to help me out?"

Shasa was on her feet in an instant, the bulge of her dress betraying the progress of her pregnancy.

"You touch him, teme, and I swear…"

A malicious glint appeared in his eye, both familiar and foreign to her.

"Don't worry, Shasa,_ I_ won't touch him. I _promise_ you that."


	38. Planning

Finally the action starts heating up again and a few questions are answered. Very few.

* * *

**Chapter 11**

Iroh found himself walking through the Spirit World with the Speaker as the young man explained things to him. The young man had long since removed his mask and Iroh could see the exhaustion spreading through him. He actually found himself placing an arm around the Speaker as they sat down on a large crumbling boulder that had once been a majestic statue. Of what, Iroh couldn't tell. Still it was strange sitting there with the strongest living thing in their world, the aforementioned sitting with his head in his hands, all defenses dropped. He remembered vaguely how his books had described the Child of Those Forgotten as the 'ultimate half-breed, all the power of a god with all the emotions of a human.'

"So explain this to me again."

The Speaker laughed very lightly. Iroh just had that affect on people and apparently the all-powerful man before him was no different.

"Ziri cannot die of unnatural causes. You could cut his head off and he wouldn't die. He'd probably be in some serious pain and need therapy but he wouldn't die."

"And this is because…?"

"If he came into contact with the Light in his previous human state, it would kill him."

"So you killed him…to keep him from dying?"

The Speaker smiled wryly. "Now you understand."

Iroh shook his head lightly. "How do you manage to think like this?"

"Many many…many…years of practice."

At first Iroh began to laugh and then he realized just what the Speaker had been trying to say and he recognized the weight the falsely young shoulders bore. After a few silent moments, the Speaker stood and dusted off his clothes, the mask hanging loosely from his hand.

"Iroh, I need you to do something for me. I need you to rejoin the Fire Nation army and take leadership of the Elite squadron."

Iroh frowned as he stood. "I have a bounty on my head. How am I supposed to do that?"

The Speaker ignored him, his eyes scanning the trees above them.

"Nuri?" he called.

There was a rustle in the leaves and down dropped a young man, maybe early twenties, dressed in simple brown and green leather armor. He had a broad smile that took up most of his face, black hair, one amber eye and one sapphire blue.

"Yes?"

The Speaker smiled at the first son of Agni and Shasa, the very first Fire Lord.

"I trust you've enjoyed your vacation?"

Nuri shrugged. "Not really. It's been very boring these last few centuries. Seriously, I've already mastered Fire and Water and now I'm working on Earth."

Iroh gave the young man an odd look. It was hard enough to believe that the man he'd believed to be his ancestor, really his uncle, was standing next to him let alone could bend three elements.

"Fire and Water?"

Nuri laughed, flashing his nephew a brilliant smile. "Anyone can learn to bend all four elements. Most just don't live long enough."

The Speaker smiled as well. "And Nuri is the self-proclaimed god of hot water."

Nuri gave the Speaker a little salute before placing his arm around Iroh.

"So, what do you need?"

"You can assist Iroh."

Nuri nodded, still smiling. Iroh shook his head.

"I still don't understand how I am going to lead the Elite. I get within 500 feet of the recruiting grounds…" He paused as he noticed his voice was changing.

Nuri's grin took up most of his face.

"Have you ever heard of the Fountain of Youth, Iroh?"

Iroh nodded and the Speaker smiled. "It's more of a swamp really."

It was then that Iroh looked around him. They were standing in the middle of a swamp, a very beautiful swamp, but a swamp none the less.

Then he looked down at his new sixteen-year old body.

"You mean I've got to go through puberty again!" came the teenage voice squeaking out of his throat and both Nuri and the Speaker erupted into laughter.

* * *

Korosu stared, the only one still standing in the plaza. All the judges and the other recruits had fallen to their knees or lay prone on the dirt. The flames rose far above the plaza, twisting and roiling about each other until the formed the rough shape of a dragon. For the first time since the flames had erupted did Korosu seemed worried, his eyes widening ever so slightly as the dragon descended on him, striking through him.

Then the plaza was quiet and Korosu lay prone on the stage as the judges got shakily to their feet. From the shadows a young woman dressed in black Fire Nation armor came forward and took Korosu, throwing him over her shoulder, and disappeared into the palace. Then the recruit placement continued without a ripple. Any whispers among the recruits were quickly silenced with vicious blows.

Korosu woke a few hours later with the left side of his forehead pounding and his hand came away wet with blood for the second time in a couple months. There was a woman next to him dressed in a black version of what the Fire Nation army wore beneath their armor. A black piece of metal covered most of her forehead and came down behind her ears and also to a point in the middle of her forehead.

She took a clean cloth to the wound on his forehead.

"Relax, Son of Agni. You're safe here."

Korosu jumped and turned to face a man wearing a mask. Other than that, he wore the same outfit the woman did.

"Is that what this mark means?"

The man nodded. "It marks you as one of the Four. It means 'fire' in the Old Language."

The woman pulled his head around and continued cleaning up the blood.

"Because of what happened today, you will be placed with the Fire Nation Elite, under my command. Which I think was what you wanted."

"But you…"

The woman smiled and removed the metal plate from her forehead, revealing a small amber crystal there.

"I'm the Ki-Lin, Amabiku. I've been the commander of the Elite for about 20 years now, long enough to gain the Fire Lord's intimate trust."

She replaced the metal plate and Korosu relaxed against the bed. There was only one other person in the room besides the masked man. Amabiku followed his gaze and nodded.

"That is Niobi, the only other recruit to meet our standards. Rest, Korosu. You will need it."

She headed out of the ward and the masked man nodded to him before leaving. For a moment, Korosu wondered whether he was player in this enormous game or just a pawn. Then he blacked out once again.

* * *

"Faster! Get the rocks out of your pants!"

Jet skidded to a stop once again, the _jabari_ he'd managed to create from the Shou's light glimmering in his right hand. He could now maintain it for three hours but still had yet to strike Kazearashi.

He had changed in the few months Kazearashi had been training him. She made him wear a formal white _gi_ signifying that he was the trainee but he didn't see why what he wore had anything to do with her beating him senseless.

As she settled back to the earth, Kazearashi frowned. "Must I repeatedly remind you that you are an Air Elemental?"

"Half-air, half-earth," Jet spat back.

Kazearashi leveled a glared at him. "Why do you think you've always lived in trees, halfway between earth and heaven? Again!"

Jet flung himself forward and Kazearashi pushed off with one foot, simply gliding across the ground towards him. The _jabari _crossed in front of him, its edges crackling as he struggled to maintain its form.

"_Like wind…like wind…" _He no longer envied Aang, having to fight the elemental controversies in his very soul. Just as hard as it was for Aang to face down a rolling boulder, he had trouble forcing himself to flow instead of slamming himself into the heat of the battle.

Wind didn't just crash into something, it shifted, and flowed around it. At the last possible moment, Jet shifted, turning onto his back and gliding past Kazearashi to land behind her.

The _jabari _flickered and died as Kazearashi went to pick up her now missing arm and reattach it. After all, she was just a spirit. But she smiled at him for the first time in a long time.

"That's better."

A crash resounded through the air and Jet stood up straight, the Spirit World fading behind him as he watched an unnatural cloud climb above the horizon. Despite his exhaustion, he took off towards it, the amulet bouncing on his chest as he ran. When he reached the source, he was surprised to see a large piece of the ice shelf breaking off and falling into the sea.

"We were this close to the Northern Water Tribe?" _And you didn't tell me. Why did my Heiki spirit have to be such a..._

Jet frowned as he noticed a group of Water Tribe warriors were desperately trying to hold back a tidal wave of water long enough for the group of villagers to get out of the way. Holding back an icy river was no easy task. It crashed and roared like a living thing until it broke past their grip.

He didn't know where he found the speed but Jet got between the warriors and the water, holding it back with a solid band of light and wind from the Shou. As it crackled in the air, Jet stood with his back to the waves as the men looked on in fear. A single drop of blood from a cut he didn't know he had dripped over his eye onto his cheek.

"Move now!"

He glared up at the river raging above him then pushed off. The river roared forward by Jet was already a couple dozen feet above it. A whirlwind formed at his left hand as it stretched across his chest as if reaching behind his right shoulder. The Shou gleamed and crackled. The clouds above them parted and the stream of air pummeled into the river. For a moment it flowed over the edges of the valley then Jet floated down to land on a frozen landscape, tundra the way it was supposed to be.

The river beneath him was frozen solid.

He wiped a hand over his forehead then hissed at the minute pain. Staring down, a few drops of blood decorated his head. A woman came over and bowed before him and he turned his head to see them all bowing.

"Thank you, Son of Samir." The woman said.

He shook his head. "My name is Jet."

She rose, pressing a cloth wet with melted snow to the cuts on his forehead. As she watched, the cuts sealed over and she finished wiping away the blood.

"Would you join us in the city, Jet-sama?"

"Can I have a hot bath?"

The woman blinked. "Yes, of course."

"Then yes, I'll join you."

* * *

The camp was roused into awareness as the sounds of a large battle coming from the east. Azula found Shiroten and dragged him to the forefront as her warriors prepared for battle.

"Tell me what that is, teme."

Shiroten stared blankly forward until his gaze fastened on the dark cloud rising above the horizon. Then his eyes widened nearly beyond their capability.

"Azula, that is an Abyss. We need to move. Now."

"Abyss?"

He ran as fast as he could, the new snow tearing at his bare feet and he left tracks of blood behind him. He no longer felt any shame at being mother naked but let the white cloak Kanna had given him flow out behind him to gain more speed.

Ziri burst through a stand of trees and fell down the side of a small rise to land at the feet of a dark-haired woman and a man who appeared to be her captive. He struggled to his knees, gasping for breath until the woman's startled voice reached him.

Azula stared at the man before her. Naked and wrapped in a white cloak, she didn't know how it could be but it was.

"Zuko?"

Ziri stared at her in despair. "Not again."

* * *

Katara sat in the corner of the nearly freezing cell. Perhaps it had been made to keep fire-benders from bending but it was just as effective on water-benders. She would have to work twice as hard just to keep the water in a liquid state…if she had any to begin with. Raising a hand, she let her hair loose to help keep her warm and to hide the mark on her forehead.

The door to the cell opened and Katara was instantly on her feet. A man in Fire Nation armor walked in. She couldn't see his face due to the shadows caused by the flickering torches in the hallway. Then the cell was dark again. She could hear him moving around and then a lantern above them sputtered into life, swinging eerily. But it gave her enough light to recognize her captor.

"Peris," she spat. First he'd attacked Zuko then Azula. What was the point of attacking her? What was his plan?

"You may address me as Fire Lord, Daughter of Nen. I suppose I should pay you back for that incident in Tasha but I have better plans, more necessary plans, for you now. Of course, now that the Spirit of the Four as well as the Daughter of Kaia is dead, there is no hope for your world's survival. Yet, I can make Lord Kolyn's victory that much more sweet."

Hypnotized by his words, she didn't noticed how close he was getting until the light was gleaming from his predatory eyes and the blade flickered.

Katara screamed.


	39. Abyss

**Chapter 12**

The morning gave way to a beautiful dawn that was even more spectacular where they flew over the clouds. Glancing down, Skandranon's black wingspan was easy to find against the white down.

"Any idea where he's taking us?"

Aang shook his head at Toph's question.

"He has us above the clouds. He says it interferes with Eimin's ability to see us and Abyss can't come up into this pure light. It also makes it easy for him to take us where he wants to and we can't do anything about it."

Toph crawled across the saddle and sat next to him.

"Well, he said he was with Haku."

"How can we trust Haku? I hate to say this when I tried so hard to get guidance but these Spirit guys are really getting annoying. I have no idea what's going on and none of them will tell me anything. Sokka was dead the last time I saw him and now Katara's missing. Are they going to pick us off one by one?"

Aang looked down again and yelped. "Hey, where'd he go?"

A black feather fell on his shoulder and Skandranon glided down into the saddle, his feather providing a dramatic curtain until he was perched on Appa's back. Appa let out a low moan and Skandranon frowned.

"You have no need to distrust me though it is natural. I am taking you to the Hibari and to the temple of Light."

Toph blinked. "What are we going to do there? And what do I have to do with it?"

"Aang must train. During which, he will be incapacitated. You and I will guard him."

"Why can't you do it? You're the all mighty Elder."

Skandranon ran a hand through his hair and plucked out a feather, staring at it distastefully.

"I am unfamiliar with this world and its enemies. You point out the enemies and I defeat them."

Toph grinned. "How about I point out the enemies _and_ defeat them?"

Aang laughed a bit. "We're pretty self-sufficient, Skandranon, sir."

Toph nodded but Skandranon's gaze didn't waver.

"Maintain your confidence. You'll need it. But I know what hunts you."

Aang turned, dropping the reins and let Appa fly himself for a while as he joined them in the saddle.

"The Fire Nation?" Toph suggested.

"No, Abyss." Aang finished for Skandranon. "Haku implied there weren't that many."

"Not here," Skandranon supplied. "Haku has not been to Origin in many centuries. There, they are the dominant species."

Toph sighed. "You really act like this is big deal. I mean, I know it would suck if the world died and everything but all of you seem more worried than if it was just about one world. Why should we matter to you? Why don't you just move the elements to a different world like you did last time?"

Skandranon fell silent and turned his back to them. Aang stood and set his staff firmly before him, between him and the gryphon.

"You're going to have to tell us sooner or later."

Skandranon turned and met his angry stare. "Aang, no matter how special you are, how many elements you can bend, and how many worlds you can cross into freely, you are still human. I have had experiences with telling humans things they don't need to know. None of them were good."

* * *

The ring of hammer against anvil echoed through the caves, the fiery stone slowly flowing around its inhabitants. In the heat of the volcano, the Speaker stood, without mask and without shirt, sweat flowing from his form as the blade formed beneath his hands. He moved from the anvil and bended a small stream of the flowing lava over and around the blade then back to the heated center of the mountain as the blade glowed red once again.

Haku stood a few feet away, watching the Child as he moved fluidly from fire to anvil to water to fire, the pile of Runeblades beginning to grow. The Speaker's long black hair fell in a braid down his back and despite the sheen covering his torso and billowing magma around them, the aura of the room was cold as the silence grew between them.

The obsidian Ki-Lin moved across the room to stand between the fire and the anvil, taking a place in front of the Speaker but with the anvil between them. The Speaker paused with the hammer in the air, raised for its next strike.

Amber orbs met sapphire blue.

"What is it, Haku?" he said, his voice tight with frustration.

The Ki-Lin watched him for a moment, strangely relaxed but when he spoke, one could see the calm pose was a tightly woven façade.

"I want my son to live."

"You're asking the wrong person." the Speaker snapped.

"Am I?" Haku replied. "Am I S-"

"Enough." The Speaker cut him off and stood up straight, the hammer falling to rest on his shoulders.

"You have no right to be asking favors, teme."

Haku placed his hands on either side of the anvil, leaning slightly forward.

"Don't I? You can't…"

The hammer fell between his hands and Haku was acutely aware of how close it had come to hitting him, knowing that the Speaker could not have missed. He was being warned.

"Don't think you are irreplaceable, Haku. I can get your blood on that blade with or without your consent. You have lived a cheerful life, full of hope and family. It's time for you to learn the harder side of life. Now move."

Haku glared back at him for a moment but slid back, resuming his place beside the water and the Speaker through the newly made Runeblade onto the growing pile.

"If you want to be helpful, you can go kill a few demons so we can make sheaths."

Haku nodded and was gone.

* * *

Katara stared forward in surprise as blood flowed from her forehead to drip over her eye and onto her cheek. The blade had been tiny, leaving barely a scratch but she trembled from fear, still caught in his grasp.

For every step forward he took, she took one step back until she was against the wall.

"Kioko…"

"…is dead." Peris finished. "The Spell of Light cannot be completed. You have failed."

"You're…lying." She gasped out.

Peris chuckled lightly, his hand resting parallel to her face against the wall. She trembled at the fact that he was so close to her. He wasn't going to…was he?

"I don't lie, Katara. I don't always tell you everything but I don't lie."

Hearing her name brought he back to her senses and she flung herself forward, pinning him against the opposite wall.

"Look, you…"

She stopped as he smiled. "Attacking the Fire Lord is an execution-worthy offense but I'll overlook it this time. By the way, I'd be nice if I were you. Right now, Zuko's life is lying in the palm of my hand. He just joined the Fire Lord's Elite Squadron, undercover."

Katara backed away, her hand rising to her throat where she now wore the red betrothal necklace she'd found in Zuko's pack underneath her mother's necklace.

"Zuko…"

Peris dusted off his clothes and smirked.

"That's right, Katara. If you don't do behave yourself, I'll kill Zuko."

Trembling, she stared at the floor beneath his feet before falling to her knees.

"Whatever you ask. Just please…"

"I understand."

She heard the cell door open and close. It took all of her power not to scream. Zuko was alive and in more danger than ever before. What could have possessed him to come to the capital? Wouldn't he be recognized instantly?

Then she remembered in her dream, he hadn't had his scar. And true enough, a few of the scars she bore from mishaps in her life were gone.

"Shasa, Alem, please protect my Zuko." She prayed.

* * *

Sokka felt nervous riding the Shirshu and Jun didn't blame him considering the last time he'd been on its back. While Shirshu sniffed out the trail of the 'moving nation,' Jun found Rou sitting several dozen feet away from the main camp. She sat down beside him and he laid his head on her shoulder. In that moment, it didn't feel like he was an omniscient being trapped in a teenager's body, instead, he was just a teenager.

"I'm afraid, Jun." he said softly and she wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"I'm sure…"

"No, Jun. I'm not afraid of fighting. I'm afraid of messing things up. Just because I'm all-knowing doesn't mean I know everything."

He sighed and leaned forward. "That didn't make any sense, did it?"

He began to run his hand through his hair but paused halfway through.

"I barely remember fighting Eimin the first time. What if I do it wrong this time?"

Jun wrapped her arms around him again and held him tightly.

"Don't worry, Rou. Everything will turn out all right."

Rou nodded and stood, turning to Sokka and walking back to Shirshu.

"Come on, Sokka! We need to go or we'll lose them."

Sokka frowned and pointed at Shirshu. "I'm not getting on that thing. End of discussion."

Rou shrugged, holding his hands out to each side pleadingly.

"Ah…well, I guess you have your free will. Yes, that's it. You can get on willingly. Or…"

Shirshu flicked his tongue warningly and Sokka paled then climbed into the saddle.

"You're the god of Life. Aren't you supposed to be nice?"

Rou grinned. "Ah, 'supposed' to and what really is often don't coincide. I'm supposed to be omniscient but I really don't know what's going on. ONWARD SHIRSHU!"

Jun yelped as she was hardly in the saddle when Shirshu took off, running through the woods while Rou laughed hysterically.

* * *

Azula and Ziri stared at each other, Azula with wonder, Ziri with despair. Just then, a black Ki-Lin hit a tree behind them and slid to the ground.

"Kanna!" Ziri cried and ran to her side, helping her home. Her black pelt was soaked with sweat and her legs trembled.

"_I underestimated this Abyss." _She gasped, frowning.

Just then, the Abyss itself appeared over the hill's edge and Azula gasped. It had no form, only a black foreboding mass with two red dots in its center. It was massive, as large as the hill itself and it kept coming.

An arm of itself reached forward. It was hard to describe. One side of the large mass simply extended and came rushing forward, centered on Kanna and Ziri. They stood together, watching it come.

Kanna gritted her teeth as her mind worked furiously. Then she gasped as the arm simply disintegrated and the Abyss let out a howl.

Azula stood before the two, her lightning still echoing around her outstretched hand.

"Thought so. Abyss are hurt by fire and light."

Kanna straightened and nodded. _"Here, get on my back, princess. Ziri, stay here." _

Ziri nodded. "Got it."

Azula climbed on the Ki-lin's back and she leapt into the air, running on what seemed to be nothing. The former princess didn't pay attention to that though. She'd studied the Great Races for years and nothing could surprise her.

Ty Lee flung herself from the woods but Shiroten stopped her.

"Stay back! An Abyss isn't something you can fight physically!"

Ty Lee nodded and whistled. The few fire-benders they had joined her quickly and began preparing a group fire attack. Mai was there in an instant as well, placing a hand on Shiroten's shoulder.

"Don't go anywhere."

"As if I would…" Shiroten snapped back.

The Abyss struck out at her but Kanna avoided it with a speed that threw Azula off balance and left her clinging to the mare's neck. Kanna stepped off again and rose above the Abyss while it regrouped.

"_Now!" _

Azula leveled a pretty strong lightning blast, strong even for her, directly into the Abyss below at the same time the fire-benders sent a rather large fire blast into the shadow. The Abyss roared with pain and nearly every human fell to their knees, covering their ears with their hands as the higher pitch of the Abyss' voice echoed over the plain. The exception was Shiroten, whose hands were tied.

The Abyss roared and then it extended and cut up, separating Azula and Kanna. They hit opposite sides of the field with the Abyss between them. The group by the woods seemed to stare up in surprise, all save Shiroten, when the massive black form began to laugh.

"_**That was good, Kanna-san, but not good enough. Now it's my turn." **_

The shadow began roiling beneath its surface grotesquely before sending spires of its body straight up into the air. The clouds began to darken and thunder echoed over the valley.

"What's happening?" Ty Lee cried.

"He's cutting off the sunlight. The darker it gets, the stronger he becomes!" Shiroten called.

Then he stopped, staring forward blankly. That's what he had done in his own battle with the Fire Princess. He struggled to remember the process for a human to become an Abyss. It had something to do with their soul, with…

His eyes widened in horror.

"For a human to become an Abyss they must be either consumed by an existing Abyss or have the light of their soul removed during the Ceremony of Revival. That bastard…"

Eimin had been making him into an Abyss.

Mai turned her head to him but he tore out of her grasp and started running across the field as the spires descended directly towards Azula and Kanna while at the same time the Abyss spread itself over the valley floor, trapping them in place. If it absorbed them…

He twisted his head, hearing Mai fire a knife in his direction and twisted, letting it cut through the bindings on his wrists. And he kept running.

Ziri broke through the line running as hard as for Kanna. He tried to fire-bend but nothing came from his fists and he settled for placing himself between the attack and Kanna even as she screamed for him to get out of the way.

Human blood splattered over the field.


	40. Old Feuds

Summary to Point:

_At the end of Prophesied, Zuko was taken into the care of Jeong-Jeong but was unable to remember who he was. He gives the name Korosu because it is the one Kagehi knows him as. _

_Kioko dies._

_Ziri is rescued by Kanna, hustled out of the Fire Nation by Iroh, then transfers again into the care of Kanna. Iroh returns to the Fire Nation as a spy._

_In TM, Zuko meets Jin and the Spirit within the Qiäng, Hiraishin. Off-screen, he begins training alone with Hiraishin to better control the Qiäng._

_Haru has a dream about Kioko's death and wakes wearing the Shoú beads. He leaves the former Freedom Fighters, going on alone into a storm to find help. He collapses and that's where Zuko/Korosu finds him. _

_Zuko/Korosu has been living with Jeong-Jeong and Hakoda with their army that is slowly moving against the Fire Nation capital. Haru joins them and Zuko, along with Hiraishin and Terumi, tells him that he is the son of Kaia and Mamoru and has to take Kioko's place in the Four. At first he refuses but then agrees after some violent negotiating from Zuko. _

_Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph head out from Tasha in search of Shian and Zuko. Along the way, they meet Tome and the Temple of Origin and learn some interesting things about Eimin, the Elders, and what is going on. _

_Sokka dies._

_Haku appears shortly after Sokka dies and explains a few more things including telling them about the elusive Speaker. In other scenes, the Ki-Lin Chiemi is introduced as his niece. The other Elders are also introduced: the Dragon, Antaram and the Gryphon, Skandranon._

_Katara is taken with Haku to meet the Speaker. She is subsequently captured by the Fire Nation._

_The Speaker awakens Rou's lost memories revealing him as the god Alem. However he is still trapped in his human form. The Speaker continues doing rather confusing things that only he and perhaps Haku understand. _

_Zyperis is up to his usual tricks including taking over the Fire Nation, making Ozai sick, and generally being evil but we are introduced to the greatest evil living, an elder Abyss named Kolyn who inhabits Eimin's body. Even Zyperis seems to be a bit cautious around him. _

_Shiroten's village is attacked by the Fire Nation and his birth parents are killed. He miraculously regains the ability to shadow-bend but starts using it less and less often as he gets more and more depressed. Eventually he is captured by Azula. _

_Since narrowly escaping death at the hands of Peris, Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee have been raiding Fire Nation supply lines. During one particular raid, Azula stumbled upon Shiroten and took him captive. _

_Sokka is revived through Rou/Alem who also mistakenly revives Yue and heals the Moon Spirit. _

_Aang and Toph, now joined by Skandranon, make their way east to the Temple of the Four. _

_Zuko/Korosu travels to the Fire Nation and joins the Elite as a spy, reason yet unknown._

_Strange weather has been crossing the world. Haku blames Eimin. It is snowing in the Fire Nation and most of the western Earth Kingdom is in a drought while the East is flooded. There are no crops coming out the Earth Kingdom and it looks like the beginning of a famine. The Northern Water Tribe is melting while the Southern Water Tribe is being pelted with blizzards. _

_Jet has been training with his Heiki Spirit, Kazearashi, learning to tap the Hiketsu's power which is a raw fusion of Light and Air. He is now in the Northern Water Tribe._

* * *

**Chapter 13**

* * *

_Two weeks prior…_

* * *

_Korosu smiled for the first time since his awakening as Haru splashed some of the cold river water behind his neck. Haru caught his gaze and grinned back. _

"_Does Hiraishin work you as hard as Terumi does me?" _

_Korosu nodded empathetically. "You'll get better. It's only your third day." _

_Haru sat back as he agreed. "I never knew you could earth-bend that way. It's so different from the way my father taught me." _

"_Hiraishin told me that in Origin the elements weren't separated as they are now. All the benders were taught together, the same movements, the same forms. Only here in Aye did they separate and form their own styles."_

_Haru nodded, grinning. The sun was bright and beautiful, reflecting off the river. _

"_On days like today, it's hard to remember there's a war." _

* * *

Korosu slowly opened his eyes. After weeks of waking up at dawn, it was a simple thing now. The whistle to wake the new recruits had not even sounded yet. He turned and the man behind him jumped.

"Hey, you're…Korosu, right?"

Korosu nodded and turned back to the window, pulling the thick curtains back. The sun had not yet risen. The man behind him wrinkled his nose.

"What's that smell?"

Korosu smiled softly. "Early morning, it smells new, doesn't it?"

* * *

There was fire in the sky and in the earth and over the water. It was everywhere he looked and death was everywhere he could feel. It was choking him. But there was no fire. There was only ash.

_Half-burned bodies stared at him beneath the wall. He heard soldiers talking. They had come while the troops were training, Fire Nation, hundreds of them. All the women and children…they were dead. _

_The river ran red with their blood. Haru stared in horror at the congealed crimson lying inches thick over the field._

_Kagehi's body was torn and still, a javelin protruding from her shoulder._

_Korosu fell to his knees beside a body, cradling the thin woman to his chest. She had been the only one who had cared about him even before she knew. _

"_Jin," he said softly, smoothing back her hair from her glazed eyes. At least half of her chest was missing._

* * *

Niobi and Korosu headed down to the training field where Niobi nearly fainted when he saw the Fire Lord Peris training with Amabiku. Korosu didn't even blink. Maybe it was because he owed this man no allegiance.

Peris smiled as he saw them allowing Amabiku to snip his shoulder with the bamboo rod she wielded. Peris just winced and turned his smile to her, which she returned. As Amabiku moved away to correct the form of another Elite, Peris moved toward them, causing Niobi to unconsciously move behind Korosu. The Fire Lord just laughed and placed a hand on Korosu's shoulder.

It took a great deal of self-control not to even twitch, so close to the man that had murdered Jin and so many other innocents.

"I like the new recruits, Amabiku. You did good."

Amabiku smiled. "Once again, the Flames picked them, not me."

Peris took Korosu's arm and led hid forward. "Come, let's see what you can do."

The Fire Lord tossed his training sword to another black-clad warrior who was stripped to the waist and clothed in a thin sheet of sweat. Korosu had purposely left the Qiäng behind in his room. No use screaming to them all who he was. He followed the Fire Lord to a side field where they were the only ones practicing.

Peris moved to the opposite side of the field, still smiling.

"I know we're just training but don't hold back, Korosu. I need to know how good you are so I can plan accordingly."

Korosu frowned. "Wasn't Prince Zuko killed for trying to assassinate the Fire Lord?"

"We're just training." Peris replied, shrugging.

"How can I not hold back if I'm not actually trying to kill you?"

Peris shrugged again but fell into a bending stance.

"Come on, Korosu, give me your best shot."

Korosu closed his eyes for the briefest moment before falling forward into a front stance and bringing both arms in a sweep from back to front. The flames appeared from nowhere, much larger than the usual first flames of a bender, and the temperature for several hundred feet went up a few degrees. Peris lifted both hands in unison and the flames dissipated.

There were several more exchanges of enormous bursts of flame before they drew closer to one another. Then their battle became interspersed with short strikes of concentrated blue and white fire but it ended with Peris sweeping Korosu's feet from beneath him and aiming a fist at his head.

The world was still for a moment before Peris relaxed and the fist became an open hand, offering him a lift up. Korosu took it and stood.

"Incredible," the Fire Lord said softly. "But I told you not to hold back."

Korosu blinked in surprise. "How…"

"…Did I know?" Peris smiled and placed an arm around his shoulders. "I've trained too many men not to know when one is holding back."

* * *

Azula stared up as her prisoner leapt in front of her but he too was staring at someone else, another one who had stepped in front of him. Azula glanced across the field and nearly screamed as she saw Zuko had been impaled by the Abyss.

But the Abyss was also screaming, louder and much more potently than before.

The woman that stood in front of Shiroten held her arm forward almost lazily and from her palm emitted a light so pure, so strong, that the Abyss couldn't counter it. All it could do was scream and try to block the light out.

It was several minutes before the screaming began to die down and then stopped completely. The light faded a few minutes later. The Abyss was nowhere to be seen.

Kanna was trying not to scream as she held the badly injured Ziri in her arms. He was gasping for breath with lungs that were only half there.

Then slowly, strangely, the gaping hole in his torso began reknitting itself.

When it was completely gone, Ziri ran a hand over his unblemished stomach, his eyes wide with shock. Even Kanna seemed surprise. In fact, the only one who wasn't was the woman who'd killed the Abyss.

Shiroten helped Azula to stand and they, along with the woman, made their way across the field to Ziri who was now standing with the help of Kanna.

"What…how?" Ziri managed to gasp out to no one in particular.

"You've already died once. You cannot die of unnatural causes, not again."

Ziri stared at the woman in surprise. She'd killed the Abyss when not even Kanna could. Who was she?

The woman was tall and imposing but at the same time, motherly and warm. Long blonde hair fell to her waist in thick waves and contrasted perfectly with the dark azure sleeveless dress she wore. Dark gold rings went around her upper arms and from them trailed a gauzy fabric that matched the dress.

Her eyes were the most impossible shade of blue and a blue diamond was fastened in her forehead, the mark of a Ki-Lin.

Then she smiled and Kanna nodded to her, smiling in relief.

"I'm glad it's you, Lady Ana."

Ziri managed to take his own weight shakily, feeling his strength pour back into him as if it had never left. Kanna looked around at everyone.

"Everyone, this is Ana. She is a Light Ki-Lin and a close friend of mine."

Azula sighed, placing a hand on her forehead.

"This gets more supernatural by the day."

By that afternoon, Azula's raiders had been joined by Antaram, who was to relieve Kanna of her dutiful watch over Ziri, an act neither Ziri nor Kanna liked very much. Antaram, however, remained firm.

It was early evening when Ziri, Shiroten, and Azula were all woken by Kanna. They all trekked out at least 100 yards from the rest of the camp and were met by Antaram. The dragoness watched them eerily.

"Haku and the Speaker are supposed to meet us here. They have some information for us."

* * *

Several miles away, the Speaker and Haku were having a short meeting of their own.

"I've set everything up for you to take care of so…"

Haku nodded calmly as the Speaker paused and turned away. The silence grew between them for a while and after a moment, Haku stood from where he'd been sitting against a nearby tree. The Ki-Lin sighed as he did so and the Speaker turned back to him, frowning.

"What is wrong with you?" he snapped.

Haku frowned at him.

They'd spent centuries hating each other if not millenniums. Only lately had the tension between the two reached a breaking point, now that both souls were too busy and too stressed to keep up the façade that they got along impeccably.

"Am I not allowed to mourn?"

"No." came the quick reply.

The Speaker crossed his arms over his chest and Haku glowered at him.

"You had centuries with Keilantra. You had a son. Stop acting like a hurt teenage girl who just found out her crush doesn't like her. Stop mourning and remember all the good times you had with her."

The Ki-Lin leaned forward slightly, poking a finger into the Speaker's chest.

"I thought you wanted me to suffer."

The Speaker glowered. "I do but you seem incapable of doing so."

"So you killed Keilantra and Tasuki to test my ability to suffer?"

"I did not purposely kill them."

"You're lying and you know it. Hell, you're good at it."

The Speaker frowned. "Haku, we need…"

"Don't tell me what we need. I'm as old as you are, I know."

Haku was now pacing in front of the Speaker, who watched him coldly.

"Even if you did it subconsciously, you still killed them to hurt me."

"I wouldn't stoop that low."

"You did it to make me suffer."

"I will repeat." The first edge of true malice began to show through the Speaker's voice. "You do not know how to suffer. You are a Ki-Lin. You are arrogant. You are proud. You do not suffer."

"I am suffering."

"No, you are pouting." The Speaker snapped. "You are declaring to the world that you have reason to suffer. To suffer is to bear, to endure but you are standing before all life and begging for pity because your mate and son died. That is not suffering."

* * *

Korosu blinked as the Fire Lord suddenly frowned.

"Are you all right, Fire Lord?"

Peris touched his shoulder lightly. "I just remembered something important. I'll see you later, Korosu."

Korosu nodded and watched him as he left, filing back into the main palace.

"What is that?"

Niobi was standing at the far end of the training field but below them, those in the marketplace were turning to stare as well. The Elite moved to stand beside Niobi and Korosu followed his peers' gaze to a growing dark spot on the horizon. As it grew, it began to overshadow the setting sun.

* * *

Antaram and Kanna watched the dark spot begin to grow perhaps one hundred yards from where they were.

Kanna bit her lip. "That doesn't look good. Where are Haku and the Speaker?"

Antaram pointed towards the growing shadow.

"And you suffer because you hold it all in?"

The two voices were growing in pitch and ferocity.

"No, I suffer because I go on instead of asking to be pitied and pampered!"

"So you admit you killed them!"

"NO! I didn't kill them but I wish I had! Or maybe I should've just made YOU kill them! Then MAYBE you'd understand!"

"Well, I'm sure she'd just BEGGED you to kill her so she wouldn't have to put up with you any longer!"

* * *

Something exploded and Antaram and Kanna began running towards the dark circle. Azula glanced at them then glanced at the other two there with her. One moment passed before all three were running after the Dragon and the Ki-Lin.

By the time they caught up, Antaram had managed to pull the Speaker off Haku. The Eldest Ki-Lin now sported a broken nose and black eye while the Speaker's mask was lopsided and black blood leaked from beneath it. Both males were fighting those holding them viciously to get to the other.

Kanna slammed Haku into a tree. "What is wrong with you!" she shouted at her older brother.

Antaram pinned the Speaker against a tree as well and as he began to calm down, she released him.

"I'm just glad they forget they can bend. I would not have wanted to piece the cosmos back together."

"I didn't forget…" The Speaker gasped. "I just wanted to rip his throat out with my bare hands!"

He lunged forward and Antaram had to fight just as hard to hold him back. Ziri started to move to help her but she shook her head. It took another several minutes before they got the Speaker calmed down again and this time he looked like he was going to stay that way.

"Look, you two," Antaram snapped. "You sure picked a great time to finally fight it out."

The Speaker sighed, still resting against the tree.

"Tensions are running high, Antaram. It was not a choice. Don't worry. Haku and I will not be seeing each other much longer. Events have been set in motion that cannot be stopped."

"What do you mean?" Ziri asked and Azula glared at him. "What?" he snapped back.

The Speaker chuckled slightly. "I mean, Ziri, in a few weeks, you won't be able to trust me any longer. While I have been within your lives without you knowing, this is the first and last time we shall meet on peaceful grounds."

Shiroten couldn't look away from the thin trail of drying blood on the Speaker's face, black blood.

"I asked you to come here," the Speaker continued. "Because beneath this ground is a temple, the Temple of Prophecy. It is where the original Prophecy is written."

"There's more than one?" Azula despaired. Even Kanna looked surprised.

"Yes," Antaram snapped.

"There's the original," The Speaker cut her off, counting them on his fingers. "The translation which is a bit easier to understand and I suppose you could call the final prophecy "instructions." It is the easiest to understand."

"Why are there three different ones?"

"To make it confusing."

Ziri blinked. "You purposely made it confusing?"

The Speaker nodded. "I couldn't have Eimin finding the Prophecy and sabotaging us from the start. The downside is I have to explain everything to those involved."

"Okay," Azula began looking around. "Where is the entrance to this temple?"

The Speaker pointed and behind them a large rock emitted a groan and split in two, slowly creating an opening large enough for one person at a time. Just then the sky erupted in rain.

* * *

The gray stallion pounded across the dark wet stone as fire mixed with the heavy rain. However, the stallion's movements were sure and he found secure footing while their pursuers slipped and fell. He leapt a wide crevice easily and continued on. The man on his back was young and grinning wildly as they ran, his black hair whipping and snapping in the wind.

_The woman riding behind him was hidden by a black cloak. Even the arms and hands clutching his waist were covered in black to her fingertips. She hid her face in the flapping of his loose white shirt. _

_The stallion leapt from the stone onto a dirt path cleared from snow. A few dozen soldiers appeared as the crossways and they skidded to avoid them. _

"_Come on, Taki!" the boy shouted gleefully as the soldiers struggled to capture the magnificent stallion and his riders. _

"_Sy!" The woman cried desperately. "I'm old! Stop flinging me about like I'm young and whimsy!" _

"_But you are young!" he cried out as Taki, the stallion, leapt a barricade and continued on. _

_Suddenly, the ground gave way beneath them and Taki struggled to maintain his footing as they slid down the side of the hill. Something exploded behind them and Taki screamed as they were forced into the air. _

_The boy spun in mid-air, flinging his arm forward and the pass they'd fallen through closed over with a thick layer of ice. Then the group came back to earth roughly. _

_The old woman was the first to rise, dusting the snow off her clothes. _

"_I should've never come. You could've handled it on your own." _

_Taki was the next up, shaken up but not injured. A twitch sent the snow accumulated flying and the stallion raised his head and snorted indignantly. _

_The youth lay on his side not far from the others, one arm outstretched above his head, the other folded before his chest. The black locks that fell just below his jaw line when in proper position were tossed over his face. _

_He was laughing. _

_After a moment he sat up, tucking the loose strands behind his ear and lounging, pulling one knee up and resting his arm upon it. The stallion came over to him and he bounced up, placing his hands on his hips and smirking at the soldiers trying to break through his wall of ice. _

* * *

"Are you coming, Speaker?" Haku said, frowning.

The Speaker nodded solemnly and followed the group down, the stone door closing behind them.

* * *

Korosu slipped through a trap door in the bottom of the main prison, something that not even the guards seemed to know was there. As he landed, he lit a small fire in his hand and raised it up to the ceiling, exploring the small tunnel he'd leapt down into.

"Are you sure this is the right way?"

The Qiäng warmed in his hand. _"Yes." _came the affirmative reply. _"She's somewhere up ahead." _

Korosu nodded and continued on, the light moving with him.

* * *

Katara glanced up. She couldn't see anything but she could feel something, warmth, a familiar presence, moving towards her.

For the first time, the Kün spoke to her. _"It's Hiraishin!" _the Spirit cried.

* * *

Korosu knelt and the flame lowered to bare inches from his face as he examined the lock. The proximity of the flame made the new brand on his left shoulder ache once again, the brand of the Elite, but he ignored it.

The lock was opened by fire-bending somehow but it was so intricate he was afraid it might have some type of alarm system.

"_No use going back now." _

"Why am I risking my entire mission for one woman?" he asked Hiraishin.

"_Because this one is special." _

Korosu inserted a small cord of fire into the lock and closed his eyes, carefully investigating the inner turnings of the door.

"I think I've got it," he said softly.

He stood and placed a hand over the lock. He waited a moment before firebending a sharp burst of blue flame into the lock, carefully guiding it to hit all the right tumblers at precisely the right time.

A burst of steam was emitted from around the door and slowly, it creaked open.


	41. Understanding

**Pre-AN #1: **I forgot this in the summary in the last chapter.

Iroh and the Speaker had a nice lovely little chat in which the Speaker revealed his identity to Iroh but not to us. The Speaker also used an old magic known as the Fountain of Youth (more of a swamp really) to return Iroh to his teenage years and also brought Nuri, the first son of Agni and Shasa and the first Fire Lord, out of hiding. Nuri and Iroh are to take control of the Fire Nation Elite.

* * *

_**Chapter 14**_

The clouds had a greenish tinge to them and Hakoda closed his eyes against the growing wind. He looked to the south with a growing feeling of foreboding in his heart.

"We were wrong to send him," Jeong Jeong said as he stepped out into the wind with Hakoda, drawing his cloak around him tightly.

Hakoda smiled. "This wind is nothing. You should feel it in the South Pole."

Jeong Jeong frowned at his for a moment and then lowered his gaze, allowing a small smile to graze his grizzled features.

"I hope I get to, my friend."

Hakoda nodded to him. "And in answer, we didn't have a choice."

He raised his head back to the wind. "We couldn't have stopped him."

Jeong Jeong smiled. "I wonder…all this fighting over which element is strongest…which is?"

Hakoda smiled as well. "Water, Earth, Fire, or Air? No, I think a kiss is the strongest."

Jeong Jeong turned his head towards the Water tribesmen and nodded. "Aye."

* * *

Korosu stood in front of the open door, peering into the dark room. There was little light, even from his flame and the tiny amount of moonlight that seeped in.

Katara stood as he entered, her heart pounding without measure and tears filled her eyes. Just like in her dreams, his eyes were filled with confusion at her reaction but he was there nonetheless. She crossed the space between them with halting steps, her hands outstretched before her. They came into contact with his chest and when he didn't fade away, she raised a hand to his cheek and watched his eyes narrow.

Hoping.

Korosu stared at her as a burning sensation started in the back of his mind. His gaze narrowed as the pain began to build. It was if he knew her, somehow, and the sight of her was trying to tear some memory from behind the tortured wall of his pain.

"Katara," he breathed after a moment and her sapphire eyes softened.

"Yes?" she begged, almost desperate for something else but he shook his head. The sensation was gone. She nodded anyway.

"That's all right." Her gaze lowered and raked over his form, as if inspecting him for injuries.

"I'm not hurt." He said simply, shifting uncomfortably beneath her gaze.

"Zu…"

He placed a hand over her mouth gently. "I'm not supposed to know, Katara. For some reason…this is how it's supposed to be."

She stared at him for a moment and her arms tightened around his waist, closing the distance between them. He blinked once in surprise as her gaze hardened, a slight anger appearing there. In one swift movement, she grabbed his wrists and shoved him back against the wall, pinning his arms above his head. He was too startled to react.

"I've waited this long and I've got something to say."

He swallowed hard then she smiled.

"I love you too."

The feel of her lips on his was strangely…like coming home.

* * *

The cave was strangely warm and clean but extremely dark.

"Who built this place?" came Ziri's voice from just in front of her. Azula placed a hand on his shoulder as her eyes adjusted and she saw…or rather felt…him smile at her.

"I did." Came the Speaker's voice from the back of the group.

Light flared behind them as the Speaker lit a torch. Azula found another on the wall as did Shiroten and once they were lit, they continued on into the cave. She lost track of how long they descended but after a time the path they walked leveled out and they entered into an enormous cavern.

The Speaker dropped his torch into a well and the flame spread vehemently in a large circle around the cavern, lighting it efficiently and casting an ethereal glow off of the crystalline walls.

"It's beautiful," Ziri commented.

"It suits its purpose." The Speaker replied monotonously.

Azula doused her torch and set it on the floor as she took in the enormous pavilion, the writing on every wall. Ziri followed her gaze. It still astonished her how much he looked like Zuko. Not even twins were supposed to look this much alike.

The Speaker sat cross-legged on a low wall and pushed his bangs back, sighing carefully. Azula suddenly got the feeling that he was very tired.

"Which one's the Prophecy?" Ziri asked, closely inspecting a nearby wall.

"How many temples are there?" Shiroten asked at the same time.

The two teens stared at each other and Ziri burst out laughing while Shiroten gave a small smile and blushed. The Speaker smiled calmly.

"I built four temples: The Temple of the Four, the Temple of Origin, the Temple of the Prophecy, and…"

"The Temple of the Gate?" Haku supplied.

The Speaker chuckled. "No, the Lunar Sanctum."

Haku blinked. "You are strange."

"I know." Came the simple response. "And the Prophecy is at your feet, Ziri."

Ziri looked down and circling out from his feet was more writing but this seemed to follow a pattern even though he didn't understand it.

"Clever," Antaram commented.

"I can't read it." Ziri frowned.

Azula held up a hand even as the Speaker opened his mouth to speak.

"I can. Let's see here…"

She walked in a large circle as Shiroten took up a place near the Speaker. His hand twitched slightly and the Speaker turned to look at him. Something unspoken passed between the two.

Azula tapped her chin and stopped. "I think this is the beginning. All right…'Sphere to se-separate, Darkness…no, Abyss to follow.'"

Ziri sat down opposite the Speaker across the cave and frowned. "Abyss…it's probably talking about those dark demon things…but which…It's talking about Eimin, isn't it?"

Azula nodded. "The spheres…that must be how the gods and goddesses brought the elements to this world, I read something about it in history class."

The rest of them were silent, letting the two Fire Siblings handle the Prophecy themselves. However Antaram and Kanna looked interested while Haku just looked bored. If looks could burn, Shiroten's would have bored a hole in the Speaker's mask by the time Azula had finished speaking.

"What's the next bit, Azula?" Ziri asked with a smile and Azula knelt, sweeping some dust off of the next few characters.

"I think it's just an extension of the first bit. 'Spoken, forgotten, trapped in…hollow,' I think. The first part, 'spoken, forgotten…'" Azula paused and bit her lip. "I have no idea what that means."

"I would've been very surprised if you did, Princess." The Speaker interjected. "It's referring to how those you know as gods and goddesses could only Seal Eimin once by themselves. They 'spoke' the Spell once and subsequently 'forgot' it and Eimin was trapped in the Void between worlds."

"The hollow…"

"Yes."

* * *

The three of them had stopped in a small clearing for the night. Sokka found himself surprised at how well the former bounty hunter could cook. Jun had learned over the past few nights to cook at least three times as much as before. Their food supply began to dwindle and became mostly the small animals that Shirshu hunted. Sokka found it hilarious that they were traveling with the God of Life but kept running out of food. In fact, he found just about everything about Rou hilarious.

"How about this, Sokka? You write me a list of everything I'm supposed to be and I'll work on adhering to it."

Sokka snorted and said something incoherent through his mouthful of food. Rou set his plate down after a few minutes and walked a ways away from the others. He ran a hand through his hair and stared at a single silver strand that came away in his hand.

Why couldn't he remember how he'd defeated Eimin the first time?

If he couldn't remember, how was he supposed to do it this time?

What was his purpose this time around?

* * *

Jet had traveled further into the ice tundra at Kazearashi's direction. Draped in the furs of elk, he shifted the cloth over his face and turned back into the wind. Kazearashi refused to let him bend the snow around him with wind. She said he needed to toughen up.

Turning, Jet looked out to the sea and through the blinding white snow, he was almost sure he saw a fin.

Just before the glacier beneath him burst upward.

* * *

Azula and Ziri were the last back up to the surface. Behind them, the door sealed shut as the sun rose over the rain-dusted earth.

"So…you're really my brother…but…"

"Not Zuko."

Azula sighed. "It's amazing how much you two look alike…it's hard…since I don't know…"

Ziri nodded. "Yeah…"

Ziri blinked and looked around. "I'm not really sure about the rest of the Prophecy and I really wanted to ask the Speaker something but he's apparently not here."

"Shiroten isn't either…nor…where did Antaram go? Isn't she…"

Kanna put her arm around Ziri's shoulders. "Don't worry. If that she-dragon goes off and leaves you, I'll be here."

Ziri shrugged. "I'm just trying to figure out what exactly I'M supposed to do in this. Zuko, Katara, Jet, and Kioko…they all have pretty designated purposes. Haku, Antaram…you…you're all acting like I'm something important. I can't die…a violent death. So…I just don't get it. I'm the Spirit of the Four? What do I do, give them pep talks?"

Kanna and Azula laughed then Azula gave a small smile.

"Imagine how I feel. I have two brothers and a boyfriend stuck in this mess and what am I supposed to do? Sit back and watch?"

Ziri smiled. "You could teach me to fire-bend."

The woods ruffled and the Speaker and Haku came out, the strained tension between them obvious.

"Get some rest." The Speaker stated. "Haku will take you to meet the rebel army in the morning. They aren't far from here."

Azula blinked. "I thought our raiding was doing well."

"It was." Haku supplied. "But his strength is nearing its peak. Soon, there isn't going to be anything left worth raiding."

"His?"

"You know who we mean." The Speaker continued. "Stop saying his name. At the rate his power is growing, knowing we are talking about him by name draws attention to our position."

"You can call him by his old name. Kind of like Speaker, for this idiot…"

"Pinhead for you."

Haku glared at the Speaker who glared right back. Azula sighed and snapped her finger, a spark flying from the contact.

"Focus, what do we call him?"

"Slayer."

* * *

The sun woke him for the first time in a very long time and Korosu blinked in surprise, sitting up straight in his bed. No one else was around and he wondered if finding Katara had been a dream but the weight of something around his neck told him differently. He raised a hand and touched the blue necklace, sighing in relief.

Then he noted that the scent of fire and ash was extremely pungent in the air this morning.

The other Elite were awaking slowly as Korosu pulled on his shirt, heading for the window.

Sinister black clouds were emanating from the Fire Palace and spreading out over the land…like a tumor almost. Thunder roiled and blue lightning crackled over them.

Below, Iroh, newly christened Hiro, and Nuri stared up in wonder until Nuri pushed Iroh on.

"Come on, we can't stay still long. HE will lock on to us."

Iroh nodded and hurried on after Nuri. He was still getting used to the fact that he no longer had any girth of which to speak. He was lean and wiry just as he had been at age sixteen. This was something else.

* * *

The Speaker held out his hand for the group to stop. He raised his head and Haku stepped up to his side. Following the two, the rest of the group raised their heads to see a large dark cloud funneling out from a nearby storm, heading straight towards them.

"That's odd," Ziri said softly.

Antaram and Kanna immediately took defensive positions around Ziri. Azula joined them a hair's breadth later. If the Eldest Dragon and a Ki-Lin were defending her brother, she wasn't going to let them have all the fun.

The Speaker scowled. "He's moving faster than I anticipated."

"Something's happening you didn't anticipate?" Haku snapped and the Speaker nearly growled.

The funnel centered out over them then spun down, wind whipping the clearing violently.

"Get the children back." the Speaker said shortly.

Haku did as he was told, pushing them back to the edge of the clearing as the Speaker watched the funnel, his body tense as the wind whipped his loose black hair, his hand clenched at his sides.

Shadow molded over the clearing like a plague, crushing out the sun. It pressed against the shield make by the two Ki-Lin but didn't break through, now centering on the one soul unguarded.

"It should be me…" Haku whispered.

"Shut up. Protect the children."

Haku fell silent, keeping up the shield next to his sister.

The Shadow convulsed, rippled, and then swirled into the form of a man with gleaming eyes. The world pulled and warped around him as if the man's very existence was _wrong._

"Even the Speaker has come forth?" the man hissed and the words fell tainted.

The Speaker frowned lightly.

"No. I was always here, Slayer."

* * *

Rou stopped dead, hauling back on Shirshu's reins as he stared off into the woods. He'd been running away from the darkness. In that moment, with Jun and Sokka staring at him, he realized he was needed there. Badly.

* * *

Eimin scowled, obviously annoyed that his return had been anticipated and consequently prepared for. He then shrugged.

"It doesn't matter. You won't stop me. Still…I've always wanted to kill you and since my..."

Here the Speaker smiled.

"...plans have not allowed me much time to disembowel…"

The Shadow swirled and a hundred thousand needle-like spires honed in on the Speaker. With a light touch and a breath of wind, the Speaker danced backwards. As he landed once again, the earth rattled and cracked, groaning at the taint beseeching it.

The Speaker wavered, finding his balance but not in time as Eimin howled, leaping forward. The Speaker managed to dodge his first attack but then claws raked down over his mask. The solid gold didn't crack or split…it crumpled like paper and fell to the ground smoking as the Speaker leapt back several feet, one arm covering his face. Two thin trickles of blood fell from his forehead.

Haku cursed. Eimin stared.

"You. YOU!"

Zyperis wiped the blood from his forehead and altered his stance. No words were necessary as Eimin lifted his head and screeched in fury.

"No!" Azula screamed but Haku held her back. Anger bled from her eyes mixed with confusion.

Zyperis…their enemy, the…thing…that had tried to kill Jet and so many countless others…was the _Speaker!_


	42. The Speaker and the Slayer

_She lifted her hand, yellow parchment wet and stretched over bone and covered his eyes. His lips parted in natural reaction to his nose being covered. Sweat lined their bodies, entwined, blankets pushed to the side in lieu of self-created heat. She smiled, the first true smile she'd ever smiled and he felt it even without seeing, he felt her smile and returned it. Her free hand lay on his bare arm and he licked his lips, his lashes fluttering against her hand. _

_"Ana..."  
_

_"You'll feel it, my love, when the sky closes and the ground opens up. You'll feel it. You won't see it but you'll feel it."_

_"You have to be so philosophical sometimes."_

_"Trust me, my love. One day you'll need my words. Trust me...Zyperis."_

* * *

**_Chapter 15_**

* * *

Three men stood in a circle around a stone altar just the length of a human body and exactly three feet off the ground. They lifted their eyes at a silent call they all heard. They all moved as one, turning slowly to look at one another, a soundless decision made. They each moved as one to return to the altar.

"Faster." They said...in one voice.

* * *

The dark cloud over the Fire Nation growled and rumbled ominously and the crowds below struggled to get indoors before what they thought was a thunderstorm was unleashed. In the hall outside of the Fire Lord's bedroom, several guards stood watch.

Inside the Fire Lord's bedroom, Zyperis paced back and forth. On the bed, another Zyperis lounged, watching. At the desk, was a third Zyperis.

The one pacing turned and pointed a finger at the one on the bed.

"You, go and retrieve the Air Hatchling."

The one at the desk twirled a knife.

"The Four must be reunited."

The one pacing clapped his hands and sighed. The one on the bed stood, drew a seal on his own forehead in blood, and vanished in a swirl of wind and red light.

"Let me guess," the one at the desk mused. "I'm to take the Son of Earth?

The one pacing nodded, rubbing his temple. "I'll get the Son of Agni and Nen's Daughter out of here. Wait a moment, why are we discussing this?"

The one the desk shrugged.

"Because the Leader is incapacitated."

"Go now!" The one pacing shouted and the one at the desk sighed before repeating the signature of the copy on the bed and vanishing.

The Zyperis pacing stopped and turned, wringing his hands together. The strain of simply existing was wearing on him and he ran out of the bedroom and down towards the living area of the Elite.

"Korosu! Come now!"

Korosu tossed back his covers and grabbed a shirt, already following the Fire Lord as he staggered down the hallway towards the prisons. Zyperis staggered and Korosu stepped forward to steady him.

"Are you all right, Fire Lord?"

"I'm not your Fire Lord, Son of Agni."

Korosu blinked in surprise. Zyperis doubled over as a small trickle of blood fell from the corner of his mouth.

"You..."

"It's too complicated to explain right now. We need to get Katara."

Korosu nodded and, supporting Zyperis, headed to Katara's cell. He stopped just outside the prison and helped Zyperis to lean against the wall.

"Explain part of it to me."

Zyperis sighed as he stared at Korosu and closed his eyes.

"My name is Zyperis and I'm the Speaker for the Powers That Be. I've been secretly working against Eimin by hiding at his side, using my biological connection to him as a shield. My cover has been compromised...no..." he chuckled. "It's been obliterated. Eimin is using the Fire Nation as a base. I have to get you and Katara out of here before he finds you here."

Korosu nodded. A few of the guards started coming down the aisle towards them. The sight of one they thought of as their Fire Lord weak and bleeding caused them to half-shout in worry and come running.

"Kill them, Korosu," Zyperis offered.

Korosu pulled the knife from his belt and walked into the first, the blade sliding under the guard's jaw, up and into his brain. The corpse fell twitching as Korosu flicked his wrist. The other guard started to slow and pull back but Korosu was upon him in an instant. The wet knife buried itself in the guard's throat and Korosu used the body as leverage to propel himself up. The heel of his boot connected with the third man's temple and sent him to the ground as Korosu spun, freeing his knife and spinning, the blade slashing across the throat of the final guard.

Sprayed with blood, Korosu landed and straightened up, wiping the blood from the knife on one of the guard's uniforms.

"Get Katara," Zyperis continued, his breathing labored.

Korosu knelt and retrieved the keys from one of the corpse's, stepping over them and on them to get back to Katara's cell.

Inside, Katara stood at the sounds of combat outside her cell. She distinctly felt four deaths before Korosu pulled the door open, standing in the doorway framed by firelight. Without hesitation, she rushed into his arms, immediately checking to see if he'd been harmed. Then Katara saw Zyperis where he leaned against the wall for support, blood now flowing freely from his mouth.

"Speaker!"

"You knew?" Korosu gasped as Katara lifted Zyperis up, wiping away the blood.

"Korosu, find me some water!"

Korosu had turned to do so when Zyperis' voice stopped him.

"Katara, there's no need. I don't have a body to heal."

Katara stared at him and Zyperis chuckled lightly. "I am a clone of the real Zyperis. Nothing but Spirit and a little Light. The real Zyperis lacks the strength to support us anymore."

"There's more of you?" Korosu interjected and the clone nodded.

"Six more to be exact. Three of us have gone to retrieve the Four from their subsequent hiding places. The other three are performing one last task, the last thing Zyperis will be able to do for anyone."

"Is he...dying?" Katara whispered and the clone smiled.

"It's highly likely. Now if you two will help me, we need to get to the top floor of the west tower."

Korusu walked over and pulled Zyperis' clone onto his back with little fanfare.

"Let's go."

* * *

Jet pushed himself back and skidded on the snow. He'd been on his way to the Northern Water Tribe capital but, of course, he gets attacked by some random...thing.

The ice had cracked but not broken, water spurting out. Jet realized that with the thickness of the ice below, even to make the water trickle out would've required a massive force, a massive being.

Whatever it was slammed into the ice again and the broken slabs arched up. Jet lifted a hand and the Hiketsu began to glow, the tundra winds shifting to his command, swirling around his arm, prepared to lash out at whatever came through.

Another thunderous crack sounded through the air and a brilliant blue unagi pushed up through the ice. Jet could hardly believe it but...the creature was actually _beautiful._ The sunlight gleamed against her scales, turning them every shade of blue imaginable. Slowly Jet let the wind die down and watching the unagi pull itself out of the water and bask in the sunlight.

"_Son of Samir."_

Jet straightened and inclined his head to the unagi. She seemed to smile. Light shone through her and a moment later, an equally beautiful Water Tribe woman stood before him.

"Nen?" he whispered and she nodded.

Behind him, a dozen Water Tribe warriors appeared, urging their elk across the frozen fields. They arrived moments later.

"Goddess Nen," the first said, skidding to a stop before glancing at Jet. "...and companion. May we offer you a ride to the palace?"

Jet laughed and Nen smiled. "Sure. Let's go."

The man helped Nen onto the elk behind him and another offered Jet a ride. Jet was also given a thick fur coat which he lavished over once wrapped in its warm confines. The tundra natives chuckled at his excitement but Nen urged them on to the capital.

Jet was astonished by the beauty of the Northern Water Tribe as they entered the city through a massive ice wall that was lowered by waterbenders on each side of the gate. Nen waved to them both but the entire company jumped as the sound of a large explosion came from their left. The man with which Jet was riding gave a sigh.

"They just won't give in."

"The Fire Nation?" Jet asked quietly and Nen's guide nodded.

"Yes, they have been here since the great lords Agni and Mamoru and the lady Kaia assisted us. They bring tanks over the risen land and continue to attack. They will not give in."

Jet turned and both of them stared in surprise. Nen nearly fell off her elk and the rider with her had to grab her arm.

"_Yue?"_

* * *

Korosu and Katara half carried/half dragged Zyperis' clone up to the top of the west tower. There on the floor, drawn in chalk, was a large circle with symbols drawn all around. The clone chuckled as Korosu helped him to the floor to sit.

"Normally we don't have to use such a base but this is rather an emergency. I can't promise where you'll come out but you'll be safe." he said.

While he spoke, a small bubble of blood formed at the corner of his mouth.

"Are you going to be okay?" Katara asked automatically.

The clone smiled at her wearily. "No, I'm not. Get in the circle."

Korosu took Katara's hand and stepped into the circle. The clone dragged himself to the edge of the chalk circle where he placed both of his hands on the edge of the line. After a breathless moment, Korosu moved forward and touched the clone's shoulder. The Light of the Illusion was beginning to fade and the clone looked less and less like Zyperis.

"Zyperis...clone..."

Here the clone smiled and Korosu swallowed hard, not sure if he wanted the answer to his question.

"Will I ever remember?"

The clone's smile grew wider, darker. His eyes lost their color and through them, Korosu felt he could see far beyond the world they were in, the world they had come from, to the place where all time had begun...and where time was kept prisoner.

Korosu gasped as the clone reached up and wrapped a hand in his hair, pulling his head down and whispering in his ear.

"The right words...by the right person...at the right time...What shines brighter than the sun?"

Korosu yelped when the clone pushed him back into the circle and Katara grabbed him, curling up around him almost protectively. Korosu gave the clone one last look before closing his eyes and wrapping his arms around Katara.

Two moments later...the room was empty.

* * *

Eimin screamed with incomprehensible rage, and lashed out with one hand, the black paw lengthening out to an impossible reach and slashing at Zyperis from across the battlefield. Unmoved, the Speaker raised a hand, stiffened the fingers, and slashed downward with it.

Lightning cracked, and a bolt of fury severed the paw and its talons. Eimin shrieked in pain, the dismembered limb retracting but Zyperis shot forward a step and caught the steaming stump in one hand.

"There's nowhere to run." he hissed.

His arm sparked with thunder, driving thousands of volts through Eimin and into a stake of metal that erupted from the earth on the other side of the Death God. Flesh crackled and burnt to the sound of the Slayer's howls until Zyperis hauled back on the limb with superhuman strength, jerking Eimin off his feet and towards his Judas.

The Speaker met his descending jaw with a rising palm strike that launched him upwards again, but Zyperis again seized his collar and slammed a hand seething with plasma into Eimin's gut. Writhing and steaming, the Death God lashed out with his other set of claws, which Zyperis severed with a spat word and a serpentine lash of wind.

While his foe squirmed, impaled on a screeching blade of energy, Zyperis wasted not a moment. He glared down at his plasma-sheathed hand, and spoke another word that crackled with primordial force. The plasma detonated with a bang and Eimin disintegrated in a shower of black.

Zyperis straightened, started to turn when the black coalesced into a shapeless mass behind him. He blinked in shock and blurred away as a maw of black studded with teeth lunged out and bit off the tips of his hair. The Speaker whirled mid-dash, just in time to duck under a whirring buzz saw of pitch mass, and leap upwards on a buffer of wind as a rolling wave of shadow coated the ground.

Haku started forward but Antaram caught his arm.

"Kanna cannot maintain the shield alone. We're safe here."

Haku growled. "He needs help."

"Doesn't look like it," Azula snarled.

High above, Zyperis glared down at the vat that was Eimin, the black blight covering the land beneath. It laughed, a parasite on the back of the continent itself.

"Perish, traitor." the mass hissed, raising a cobra-head plated in shadow. "There will be an eternal freefall for you at the END!"

The cobra lashed forward and Zyperis bellowed, splitting it with an azure lightning bolt and then he paled as the separate halves divided into dozens of hydra-shoots and lunged forward. The Speaker crossed his arms and grunted as he burst into white flame that ate away the heads before they tried to bite.

Zyperis blasted downward on another jet stream before the heads could reform, grinding away the pitch on the earth with air pressure before crashing to a stop on the dirt. Grunting, he forced his hands into the silt and then outwards, creating a single puff of dust. Tremendous walls of earth arose on all sides and then toppled over, crushing the black marshes. Tar squirted out from beneath the slabs of stone then began whirling around the Speaker in a dust-devil storm of shadow.

Gritting his teeth, Zyperis clapped and the air around the storm imploded, rushing inward with a bang; the black was crushed into nonexistence by the force, and a screech sounded from beneath the stone slabs. A beast of black rage, bearing the appearance of an ape with a flailing white mane, erupted through the middle of a slab like a heathen volcano and dashed towards Zyperis with a scream, even as its spawn-brothers emerged with matching howls.

The Speaker split the first with another word and blade of air then bashed the remains up into the atmosphere with an updraft, where it froze somewhere in the sky. The second lunged at him from the side, and, disdainfully, Zyperis drew a pillar of stone up and slammed it into the construct's face, bashing it open like a melon. Then, with a swipe, the pillar pivoted in the earth and swatted another beast out of the air.

Zyperis crouched then spun, a circular, jagged blade of silver force lashing outward and cutting through every animal at the knees. Then he stopped and reversed the spin; and the circle shuddered and shattered, a thousand cracking whips of silver chopping everything within forty feet of the Speaker into chunks no wider than an inch.

Panting, Zyperis glanced around. There was stillness.

"You're still here, Eimin." he murmured. "Come out and perish for me. It is not done until you do."

A reverberating chuckle and a mirror of black rose from the dirt in front of Zyperis, the scrubby grass near the pane rotting yellow and then collapsing into ash. The Speaker looked into the portal and saw a photo negative of himself; a white-irised, black skinned man that rippled like a pond.

"It's never done." Eimin replied, smiling. "But I'm going to change that."

"Zyperis!" Haku shouted, once again held back by Antaram. "Let me go!"

The world rocked as the ground turned into a flat plane of black glass and shattered upwards. Zyperis hurled himself skyward and summoned a zephyr to hold him aloft, glanced down, and watched in disbelief as the thousand shards of glass turned to obsidian crows. They cawed in a single, bone-rattling unity and dove at him.

Two quick hand motions and the zephyr exploded in a rectus of wind; the crows were torn apart by the winds rapidly. A glance down revealed that the earth had been shattered and torn by...whatever Eimin had done with that glass spell. The Speaker crushed the earth flat beneath him and landed again - only for something to smash into the back of his skull and catapult him to the ground.

Zyperis twisted his head around painfully to see Eimin emerging from his own _shadow_. He hissed and cast a simple light; his shadow rotated around and lengthened, putting distance between the two.

Eimin just chuckled and flicked a finger. The Speaker's shadow whipcracked like a living thing, shattering both his ankles where the shadow connected to his feet. He screamed and blasted the shadow from existence with a lightning bolt, spun in midair, and lanced another at Eimin.

The God of Death simply stood there as the thunder shot into his black chest and off into an endless abyss. It dwindled from sight in seconds.

Zyperis, gaping and trying to stand, had no time to react as tar erupted from the dark behind his eyeballs and tore them out. The gently bloodied orbs rolled to a stop by Eimin's feet, smeared with black. The Speaker collapsed, twitching silently.

"Everything ends." Eimin said quietly to the convulsing form. "Even you, traitor."

A mirror of black rose from the dirt in front of Zyperis, the scrubby grass near the pane rotting yellow and then collapsing into ash. It drifted to float over Zyperis. Then, without hurry, it drew his shivering form into the umbral depths.

Haku screamed his protest and nearly fell forward out of the shield before Antaram caught him. They all stared at the black portal in horror, Haku uttering obscenities directed at the Slayer. He steadied himself, tears pouring down his face, and prepared himself to fight Eimin.

The Slayer paid him no mind, amused by the glass and what lay beyond it.

Zyperis whirled and saw black.

He whirled again and saw more black.

All around him, the inky maw of silence extended, endless and impermeable. The traitorous Speaker turned around and around, looking for some spark of light in the night. There was none. There was no hope.

Zyperis screamed his denial as the void blossomed Teeth and ate him alive.

* * *

_Zyperis Vs. Eimin written by Gleam and edited by Elenea Galad._


	43. The Death of Agni

**Chapter 16**

A young Ki-lin was resting on an stone altar in an empty room, his pelt a dark gray. Chalk circles surrounded the altar and the smell of burnt sage was strong in the air. Slowly, he began to stir. As the firelight flickered, it caught his silver alicorn and he shook his mane, lifting his head and looking around.

Dozens if not hundreds of Runeblades lay in a corner, products of the Speaker's hard work. The Speaker's last three clones were nothing more than dust on the floor, blown by the wind into the nearby volcanic flow. His last, final, and most important gift had been to his only friend.

Tasuki, son of Haku, the Eldest Ki-Lin, stood and carefully stepped down from the altar, his hooves clacking on the stone. He lifted his head and searched the air for his father's scent before trotting up the stairs and away.

* * *

Skandranon was resting at the back of Appa's saddle, his feathery cloak folded around him to shield from the wind. Toph and Aang were sitting on Appa's head, ignoring the gryphon Elder. They had been traveling in silence all day. Aang kept glancing back at the strange man who more often than not would always raise his head to meet Aang's gaze.

Aang sighed deeply and Toph huffed. Neither of them really had any idea where they were going since Skandranon had stopped leading them.

"No."

Both of them turned around to just glimpse Skandranon falling off the edge of Appa's saddle and bursting into his gryphon form with a flurry of feathers. They followed the Kuro Gryphon through the cloud cover to come out over a charred mountainside. It wasn't until they reached the Temple that Aang recognized the ruins of Hibari.

Appa had barely landed before Aang was scampering, looking for survivors, shouting his disbelief in tones to the heavens. Skandranon landed near the Temple and seemed to frown, ignoring the wailing human. Toph slid off Appa and caught Aang as he passed her again.

"I'm sorry, Aang, but there's nothing you can do."

Aang struggled not to sob. "Air-bender survivors...and Eimin took them from me again. I'll kill him. I'll kill him."

Skandranon fluttered his feathers, watching the two, the young airbender sobbing on the shoulder of the young earthbender. He'd seen too much carnage in his time to care much about the ruined mountains.

"Elements have a way of rebirthing themselves." he said quietly. "Turn your attention to the Sanctum."

"The Sanctum?" Toph repeated and Aang stumbled over to where Skandranon stood, viewing the gate.

"This is where Kioko and I saw the White Dragon. He's up there," Aang remarked as he nodded, pointing to the tip of the mountain.

Skandranon nodded. "Yes, Alem's true form is encased in crystal at the top of this mountain. Separation of soul and body...a truly perfect Seal as only a Ki-Lin could perform. But the gate is shut. Why is it shut?"

"What do you mean?" Aang asked, starting to come down from the high the anger had put him in. They were both starting to shiver from the bitter winds now sweeping down on the unprotected valley.

Skandranon looked back and took pity on the two pathetic humans. He walked back between them and transformed back into his human form, his feathered cloak falling over them and shielding them from the wind.

"Something bad has happened. The gate to the Sanctum would only close..." he froze and Aang looked up at him, Toph placed a hand on his arm.

"If..."

"If the Speaker is dead."

Skandranon turned from the two and bustled them into a cave. With a wave of his hand he had a warm fire burning.

"Stay here. I will return shortly."

With that he took off into the wind, quickly climbing and disappearing into the sky.

* * *

Haku was shaking, maintaining the shield with only half a mind, tears pouring down his face. Peer had turned to Partner had turned to Friendship had turned to Love had turned to Hate and Love and Hate were one in the same. His friend...Zyperis was gone. Zyperis was...

The bud of shadow shuddered.

Then it spat out a bloody mass of flesh, riven and torn by phantasmal fangs. It moaned and rolled over, spilling lifeblood by the pint.

Just a few steps away, Eimin silently raised a hand, a finger-long blade black as midnight glimmering on the edge.

The quivering mass once called Zyperis shot a bone-rotted fist up in response and clenched.

Eimin glanced at the hand and blinked as within that fist, a heaving mass of black was crushed.

Somewhere within his depths, Eimin felt something germinate. It spread and spread. Roots spread. Branches flowered.

He opened his mouth and vomited a blossom of the purest rage, an endless overgrowing life that divided, multiplied, and budded into something far more than magnificent: destruction.

Eimin fell to his knees, leaking honeydew and amber from the growing rents in his black body, as his world pulsed from within.

The huddled group hiding behind the Eldest Ki-Lin watched in both horror and euphoria as that which was Eimin simply shattered.

The dark clouds hovering over them began to dissipate and warmth crept back into the air. Kanna released the shield and Haku ran forward, kneeling by the bloody mass and pulling him into his arms. The thing that had been Zyperis shuddered once and went still.

Kanna was sobbing. The humans were in shock. Antaram touched Ziri's shoulder then walked forward slowly, unhooking her cloak from her dress.

"Here, Haku. Wrap him in this. Dragon skin, my father's."

The Ki-lin looked up, his eyes swollen with tears. Azula stepped forward and Shiroten followed, the young Shadow-bender struggling to hide his own tears. The two of them with Kanna laid out the cloak and Haku and Antaram transferred the body to its new shroud.

The Speaker of the Powers That Be was dead.

Kanna wrapped her arms around herself and voiced quietly what was on everyone's mind.

"What do we do now?"

* * *

The world spun, turned on itself, then ceased to exist. For a moment, the two could not breathe for there was no air and they had no lungs with which to breathe. Then everything righted itself and Korosu and Katara settled gently onto a grassy meadow.

It was several moments before Korosu looked up and Katara opened her eyes. They were in a small clearing surrounded by trees. Korosu frowned but Katara was grinning. She grinned for she recognized exactly where they were.

"Some place safe," she giggled, causing Korosu to raise an eyebrow as she danced around the clearing.

The clearing had obviously been inhabited at some point. There was a halfway decent mud hut, remnants of traps in the nearby stream, and a barely overgrown fire pit.

Korosu stood slowly, looking around as Katara danced around. She finally came to a stop, clasping her hands together at her chest.

"Should I find this place familiar?" he asked quietly.

"Do you?" she returned. He frowned, still staring at the hut. "A little bit?"

"A little bit."

Katara laughed and walked into his arms, tossing her arms over his shoulders and kissing him brightly.

"This is where we fell in love. We were trapped here together."

He smiled. "Sounds like paradise."

Katara grinned. "We didn't think so at the time."

"I can't imagine not loving you," Korosu laughed and Katara kissed him once again.

"There's a lot of stuff left from the last time we were here. It'll be our paradise once again."

Katara skipped from his arms to pull the fishing basket from the stream. It was broken in a few places but she could fix it easily.

"Katara,"

She turned to see Korosu's smile was gone. "What's wrong, huo?"

He chuckled at the nickname but walked to her and knelt by her side.

"Zyperis was badly hurt. He may be dead by now. The world...the world is in much worse shape than it was whenever we were here. We've changed. We're the Daughter of Nen and the Son of Agni now. This won't be paradise until the world is safe again."

Katara nodded. "I'm sorry. I'd...forgotten."

Korosu laid a hand on her hand, finding the braid was tangled and reached up, gently undoing the braid and combing her hair out as best he could. Katara was silent, her eyes closed, content. After a while she interrupted Korosu's work by turning to lay her head against his chest. Korosu smiled and wrapped his arms around her.

* * *

The people in the Fire Nation capital gathered outside the palace, waiting. The attendees of the palace were all dressed in white and soon their waiting was over as Admiral Min stepped forward.

"People of the Fire Nation, I bring you disheartening news. While the great Lord Ozai lies weakened and sick, the Earth Kingdom has struck us again. Our Fire Lord Peris, while battling in the field and against overwhelming numbers, has been killed."

He paused, waiting for the cries of anguish and despair to pass.

"I am told the battle was brutal and he took many of our enemy with him. The earth they cherish so much was black with blood."

Eimin swept the crowd with his gaze, keeping a sorrowful look on his face when he felt like shouting with glee.

The Speaker was dead. His main obstacle was dead. The world would burn and turn to ash and he'd rule it all.

"But his ideals remain, his vision for this country remains!" his voice grew stronger. "Though it is with a heavy heart that I take the crown, I will see Lord Peris' work finished! We will see the day when every nation bows to the flame!"

His words were met with roars of approval.

The Fire Nation's soul was sold.

* * *

The group was quiet. Antaram sat by the fire while Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee had hidden themselves away in their tent. Ziri lay curled up by the fire, his head resting in Kanna's lap and she smoothed his hair, willing him to sleep. Shiroten had vanished.

Haku lay next to Zyperis' body in his Ki-Lin form, his head resting on the Speaker's cold chest. His eyes were half-lidded and he hadn't spoken since the end of the battle.

"Haku..." Antaram said quietly. "What should we do?"

Haku blinked slowly but made no other movement.

"_I don't know." _ Haku said, tilting his head away from them. _"He never told me more than I needed to know. Just in case..."_

Antaram sighed, turning back to the fire. "We've got to figure out what he was planning. Otherwise..."

"Otherwise Eimin will win?" Ziri added, his eyes closed.

"You're supposed to be asleep." Kanna sighed but smiled gently.

Haku lifted his head. _"We can figure something out. It can't be that hard."_

Just as he finished speaking, a loud crashing was heard from their right. Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee came rushing out of the tent as Antaram, Kanna and Haku stood, prepared to take on this new enemy. Ziri was left sprawled on the ground, groggy.

"What now?" he growled, rubbing his head.

* * *

It had been snowing for nearly three days now and the tents, painted white to hide from the Fire Nation, no longer needed the disguise.

Haru risked the short trip in the white-out to the general's tent, his cloak pulled tightly around him. For most of the three days that the army had been at a standstill, the generals had been discussing what was probably the most important fact in the entire war. It was something Haru knew the answer to, something Jeong Jeong and Hakoda knew, but something they just couldn't make Zhang believe.

The Son of Earth entered the tent in the middle of another heated debate.

"I refuse to believe that some God of Death is controlling the Fire Nation simply because of an equally ridiculous 2,000 year old prophecy."

Jeong Jeong bristled, Hakoda was blessedly absent for this one.

"Look around you, Zhang. The world is turning itself inside out. Drought and floods within yards of one another, snow in the Fire Nation, extreme heat in the poles...still, you refuse to admit that there might be something supernatural going on!"

Zhang snorted, folding his hands over his chest, his green robes swirling.

Terumi began to speak and Haru voiced her words to those present.

"It's all right, Jeong Jeong. Zhang doesn't want to admit that the Slayer might be dictating the Fire Nation's actions because that would mean he's up against an enemy he doesn't understand."

Zhang turned and stared at the teen but Haru realized that he felt no fear facing the general. He knew, without a doubt, which one of them was stronger. He and Terumi had been training nearly nonstop for days. He didn't have to leave his tent to train unlike the other soldiers.

"You all treat this boy...and the other brat...as if they were something special. Son of Earth...Son of Agni...even if the gods existed and you are their child...you are still an arrogant child who should..."

The general was cut off by a loud crash outside the tent. All occupants rushed outside and in the blinding snow, a flash of blue could be seen driving up waves of the powder.

A flash of blue interrupted by a gleam of red. The beast came to a skidding stop before Haru and Jeong Jeong. The elder gasped and Haru's Shou began to gleam on its own.

"Shasa...dear Alem, what is happening?"

The ethereal ice phoenix screeched to the heavens and the torrential winds whipped up the loose snow, turning it into deadly shears. The Goddess Shasa, in her true form, stretched out her wings and burst once again into the sky. Her eyes gleamed red, the red of Eimin's control.

Haru half-wanted to gloat at the astonished look on Zhang's face but their men were dying. None of them knew what to do and none of them wanted to hurt the Goddess Shasa.

She rose above them and screamed again. Black tendrils burst forth from her body and a mist descended on the field. The onyx plague entered the army's lungs, turning bile into iron and will into dust. Jeong Jeong and Hakoda both fell, hacking until their own entrails refused them. Haru alone remained untouched, the light of the Shou burning a path around him. He ran forward, foolishly trying to clear the air of the blight with the simple light.

The blight seemed to laugh at him as it boiled back into the space once he left it.

Haru fell to his knees, completely at a loss. What could control of earth do here? He needed air or...something.

Just when despair had just about gripped him...an enormous golden dragon came over the hill, barely skimming the ground. Agni leveled a blast of fire at the blight as he took to the air. The darkness howled in pain and Shasa came down on top of the dragon, tearing at his neck with her fangs.

All Haru could do was watch in horror.


	44. The River

A young man stood at the edge of a river, refilling his water bag as a large dapple gray stallion stood next to him. He was dressed in plain grey robes after the style of the country he was in, already learning just how to blend in with those around him. His eyes were those of someone who had seen much and far beyond their years.

He stood and placed the stopper in the bag. As he turned, he noticed a Ki-lin standing a few hundred feet away from himself and Taki. The mist dancing over the Ki-lin's mane and tail and bluish-tint to his hide marked him as Water.

"_Greetings."_ the Ki-lin said shortly before taking a hesitant step forward.

The man looked at the Ki-lin for a long moment before turning to tie the water bag to Taki's saddle.

"What do you want?"

The Ki-lin took another hesitant step forward. _"I'd settle for your name."_

The man turned back to the Ki-lin, letting his hands fall limp to his side.

"Does it matter?" he said bitterly.

"_So you are him, the Child, Speaker for the Powers That Be." _

His eyes darkened and he looked blankly at the stirrup his hand had come to rest on. Taki nickered in distress at his master's mood.

"Yes." he said shortly.

The Ki-lin stepped forward again, this time continuing his advance, sensing the Speaker's dark mood but lack of hostility.

"_You are but a rumor to the Elementals but they still pray for your assistance in their plight."_

"What are you?" the Speaker snapped. "Their messenger?"

The Ki-lin stopped a few feet from him, watching him with one too blue eye.

"_I am just a Ki-lin." _

He looked at the Ki-lin closer, walking up until if he reached out, he could just touch the Ki-lin's alicorn.

"No, you're their prince. There have been many Eldest in your line. The Ki-lin want to help the Elementals but they need me to move first."

The Ki-lin was silent but his eyes spoke for him.

He sighed. "I was born Shiante, a sorceror. My father is the one who wages war against the Elementals."

He walked back to his stallion and began fiddling with the saddle's straps.

"I want to go home." A lie.

"I want to see my son." Not a lie.

"What could I do for them?" Useless question.

The Ki-lin seemed to deflate then scratched his ear with his back foot.

"_You're the Speaker. If you side with them, it shows the Powers That Be have not forsaken them."_

He closed his eyes, thinking of the name Ana had given him, the name of the Speaker.

"Zyperis," he whispered. The Ki-lin flicked his ear.

"_Hm?" _

"My name is Zyperis."

"_I am Haku."_

Zyperis raised his hands to Taki's saddle and pulled himself into place. Haku raised his head and tossed his mane.

"_What are you going to do?" _

Zyperis took up Taki's reins and sighed gently.

"Forget the past year. Go home. See my son. Then...organize and direct the rebellion of the Elementals."

Haku flicked an ear then followed Zyperis south towards the vast capital city of Shiante.

"_I will help you forget."_

* * *

It was raining.

The young man was not young any longer.

The Ki-Lin's pelt was just beginning to darken with age.

"_We are all going to die,"_

Zyperis almost laughed. "When we die, we'll die together, my friend."

"_Can they really separate the Elements from this world and take them to another?"_

Zyperis nodded, rain dripping from his short locks and forming furrows in the dirt on his face. A weary army of Ki-lin, Dragons, Gryphons, and Elementals stood behind him. The tower before them that they had worked so hard to seize was crumbling.

Exhausted but needed, Zyperis stepped forward and raised his hand. The earth of the tower bowed to his will and the falling stone held for a few moments longer, long enough for four Elementals to come rushing out.

Niga, of Fire.

Asa, of Water.

Moru, of Earth.

Mira, of Air.

They ran to him through the driving rain, Moru carrying the box they'd all fought for.

"Where's Coal?" Zyperis asked quickly and Niga shook his head.

"He's still fighting Lord Kolyn. He told us to get the Elements and come to you."

Zyperis nodded and turned to Haku.

"You know what to do, right Haku?"

Haku nodded, the rain having lengthened his mane until it shadowed his face and fell nearly to his knees.

"_Wait until Coal has weakened Kolyn then Seal them both." _

Zyperis nodded and Haku ran forward into the tower that was not a tower. The Speaker turned back to the first Four.

"I've already told you what to do."

The Four looked shaky but they did know. Zyperis turned to the army behind him and stepped up to his general.

"The new world will be volatile, uninhabitable. We must shape it for you."

He lifted his head to the mass, the army that had taken his word solemnly, laid their trust in him.

"I promised you, all of you, that I would end Shiante's rule over you and I have done that."

There was scattered nodding.

"I promised you that I would save your world. I was unable to."

They were still. The broken sky above them crackled and screamed.

"I told you I would create you a new world and I'm going to. Myself, the Ki-lin, and the four chosen by the Powers That Be will go and create you a new world and when it is ready...I will come for you. I promise."

They nodded, mostly in unison, but there were some too wounded and too tired to lift their heads.

Zyperis turned to the plains near them, turned to ash and mud by the constant rain. He lifted his hand over them and the earth began to take shape, a city rising up to shelter his army, walls to hold out the Abyss amidst the fire pits.

"Wait for me. I will come for you."

He turned back to the four and Moru opened the box as they formed a circle around him. Light burst from the box, first glowing softly then growing in intensity until all were forced to look away.

A moment later, the four as well as Zyperis, were gone.

A new world took shape.

Haku led the Ki-lin across the Void Between Worlds to the new world. Many died during the trip and when they arrived, Haku was Eldest.

Zyperis was not surprised.

A young goddess and a Ki-lin stood on a cliff over the sea in the newly formed Fire Nation.

"You've helped my people so much, Eldest Haku."

"_It was my chosen duty, Lady Keilantra." _

She smiled, lifted a strand of his darkening mane from over his eye.

"Can I see what you really look like?"

Haku smiled slightly. _"This is what I look like." _

"I mean...your human form. So many of the other Ki-lin have taken one now..."

Keilantra's eyes were alight with curiousity. Haku shrugged.

"_I've never taken it before. I suppose..."_

A touch of Light and a tiny flurry of Spirit and for the first time, Haku took his human form. He stood before Keilantra, naked and bare, and shrugged again.

"How do I look?" he said carefully with his new mouth.

Keilantra smiled, leaning forward. "I like this form better. I can kiss you this way."

Zyperis waited for his friend to return.

And waited.

When he felt the pull of another world on his soul, another people needing his help, he left the new Origin, christened Aye. This time...he left alone.

By the time Haku noticed he was gone, it was too late.

* * *

**Chapter 17: A Vessel of Time, The Temple of Origin**

A lone fisherman sat by the river, its banks dissolving into the mists behind him. There was no north nor south nor east nor west, only the river and the Fisherman. Time had older names for him and many worlds had forgotten him but a fisherman he was and Fisherman he was called.

The Fisherman whistled nonchalantly, giving his line a flick every now and then, watching the river as it passed. A hand reached out of the river and grasped onto his line, causing his whistle to stop mid-verse. The Fisherman frowned and jerked his rod but the hand was not dislodged.

The hand disappeared beneath the water but the line remained taut and began drawing closer to shore, signaling the approach of the soul.

"A strong one," the Fisherman mused. "To pull the line under."

The line paused at the edge of the shore and the Fisherman leaned forward with mild curiosity. The hand gripping the line surfaced once again and the Fisherman 'hmped', leaning forward still more.

Suddenly, the soul's free hand shot up and gripped the Fisherman's shirt and jerked back, tossing him into the river. The Fisherman got one good yelp in before he hit the water.

Zyperis grabbed the shore and began hauling himself out of the river before laying back on the grass and coughing, expelling the misty water from his lungs.

"That..." he said after a long minute. "...was not fun."

The Fisherman stood up, the water coming up to his chest, and shook his head, water droplets falling to form ripples, before wading to the edge and climbing out. He began searching for his fishing rod, glaring half-heartedly at Zyperis.

"You were torn apart, chewed up, half-digested, and thrown up again. It doesn't sound fun."

Zyperis grinned and pushed himself into a sitting position, letting his head fall onto his knees as he drew his legs to his chest.

"You know, I have something I've wanted to say to you for a very long time, Paerys."

The Fisherman turned and raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Zyperis' grin broadened, his eyes gleaming, and he calmly began reciting a very _long_ list of curses in a very _diverse_ spectrum of languages.

Paerys slowly began to grow pale.

* * *

Tome, the head librarian of the Temple of Origin, was running around a newly discovered room in the vast Temple and determining just how the Temple worked. The machine he was working at sparked, tossing the librarian into the wall behind him.

He stared forward blankly, his eyebrows smoking, then grinned and jumped back forward.

"Let's not try that again," he laughed.

* * *

Jet had refused to listen to any battle plans until he'd had a hot bath so it wasn't a surprise that Yue and Nen were far ahead of him when he finally rejoined them. The small chamber had a table full of food that the girls had hardly touched.

Nen was smiling. "It's just like Alem to do something sweet like that."

Yue shrugged. "I think he brought me back by accident."

Nen just laughed. "Or that."

Jet grinned as he sat down and began filling his plate.

"This is battle planning?"

"Nope. Girl talk." Nen said and Yue giggled, hiding her mouth with her hand. Jet shrugged.

Another moment passed before Yue took a deep breath and attempted to get serious.

"We've been trying to join the army in the southwest but we can't get out. The Fire Nation sometimes just sits out there, or something throws a random fireball. There's no method but...we spend most of the time doing repairs anyway. The city is simply...melting."

Nen frowned. "It's the Slayer. He's destroying this world the way he destroyed Origin, by turning the Elements on one another."

Jet slowly lowered his plate and stared blankly at the table. He could hear Kazearashi briefly then folded his hands in his lap.

"I should talk to the Fire Nation commander."

Both women stared at him as if he were insane...or suicidal...or both. Jet took a deep breath, focusing on the way the air was moved by the action.

"I just feel like its what I should do."

* * *

Aang and Toph had set up a makeshift campground inside one of the more intact structures left from the Fire Nation raid. Aang was oddly quiet and Toph kept trying to make up for it even as she wrapped the blanket more tightly around herself. It was so cold.

"You okay?" Aang asked, looking up from the fire he was building.

Toph smiled. "Just cold."

Aang shifted over to her, wrapping his blanket around her before folding his arm over her shoulders.

"I'm scared too." he said with a smile.

Toph leaned in and lay her head on his shoulder. She didn't say a word.

Unbeknownst to either of them, a dark fog was slowly billowing up from beneath the temple not far away. The light of Aang's soul formed a barrier around the two, forbidding entry to the gnashing mist around them.

* * *

Skandranon was fighting his way through a blizzard to where he felt Antaram and Haku. The Son of Agni and Daughter of Nen could no longer be felt and he was deep stressed by the darkness he felt spreading. He was hoping desperately that it was not what he thought it was. There so many signs that the Speaker was dead but...if that was true, all was lost.

He swept down from the torrents of the snow, barely maintaining a smooth descent before dropping into the clearing, folding into his human form, a few feathers floating free. Haku and Antaram rose to greet him but Kanna remained still, watching the other side of the clearing, her hand resting protectively on Ziri's shoulder.

"Skandranon," Antaram said softly. Haku was silent.

Skandranon's gaze was drawn to the shroud-encased corpse at Haku's feet.

"So it's true..."

The trees before Kanna burst out, allowing a frightened Shirshu through. On its back were three humans, one with pure white hair, one Fire Nation girl and one Water Tribe boy.

"Sokka!" Azula shouted as she, Mai, and Ty Lee stepped out of the tent.

Rou leapt down from Shirshu, followed quickly by Jun who fastened herself in front of the boy-god. Sokka jumped down last and Shirshu, in defense of his riders, lunged against the dense black fog that had been chasing them. When he reached it, it was like slamming into a solid structure and instantly the fog began churning around the beast, tearing it apart slowly.

"Shirshu!" Jun cried out in pain for the loss of her friend, lunging forward.

"No!" Rou shouted, grabbing her and pulling her back.

"It's Dhurmasc!" Antaram yelped in horror. Haku stepped back, the humans gathering around him as his alicorn began emitting light, holding back the fog. Skandranon also formed an orb of light in his hand, protecting them. The fog churned around them, mocking.

Ziri shivered. "It sounds like it's chewing." he whispered.

Antaram grabbed Zyperis' corpse and dragged it into the center of the circle.

"Haku, did Zyperis ever teach you that teleporting spell?" she hissed. Haku shook his head.

"I can't do it. I'm not Sorcyn."

The ground beneath them began to shake as the fog closed in on them, risking the light to consume the three Elders. Suddenly, an inhuman shriek came from the fog and it retreated to allow a shining machine from beneath the ground.

It was made to imitate a star, it seemed, a central circular core with spires radiating out from it. As it hovered above the ground and before the estranged group, a few of the spires shifted to the side and showed an opening into the core. A human figure appeared almost immediately, jogging down a small ramp.

"I got it working!" Tome beamed. "Come on! In! In!"

Skandranon and Kanna instantly began ushering the humans into the star and Tome waved his arms wildly, trying to get them in faster. Haku took the body of Zyperis from Antaram and carried him inside. Rou attached himself to Haku's side, his hands resting where the Speaker's shoulders had been. The two were almost instantly engaged in conversation, a bond between their souls that had crossed centuries still intact.

The inside of the star, Sokka noticed, was the exact same as the inside of the Temple of Origin.

"Is this..."

"Yep." Tome finished for him. "The Temple of Origin. Zyperis modeled it after the TimeStar. I just remembered it could move!"

"Good thing too." Ziri said, nodded. "What was that stuff?"

"Dhurmasc," Antaram answered. "Or Gloatbreath. It consumes everything it touches and replaces their souls with its own plasma, making them into agents of Eimin, under his command."

"Dhurmasc is essentially the Slayer's pet." Skandranon concluded.

Jun was shaking, mourning the loss of her Shirshu. "Wait, where's Rou?"

* * *

"Place him here."

Haku laid Zyperis' body gently on the bed and together, he and Rou pulled back the shroud of dragon skin, revealing the filleted muscle and bone.

"It's been nearly a day, my friend. Can you bring him back?"

Rou sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I have to try. You'll need to heal his body at the same rate that I bring back his soul. Any discrepancies and his body and soul might not line up right, might not fuse."

Haku nodded and took a position above Zyperis, laying his hands on either side of his head. Rou straddled the Speaker's chest, looking down at the life he had to save.

"I can do this." he said, mostly to himself. "I _have_ to do this."

He bent down and lowered his lips to the Speaker's. Haku immediately closed his eyes and began the healing process.

* * *

Haru watched in terror as Agni desperately tried to stay out of harm's way, fight back the fog, and not hurt Shasa. It was clear who had better maneuverability and Shasa kept trying to force her mate into the fog beneath them.

"Haru..."

Haru spun around, seeing Hakoda trying to force himself up using a nearby spear.

"Hakoda!" Haru shouted, running towards the fallen leader.

"_DON'T TOUCH HIM!"_

Haru turned to see a dark gray Ki-Lin running towards him through the fog, the light of his alicorn forming a bubble around him not unlike the shield the Shou had created.

Hakoda snarled and lunged for Haru. On instinct, Haru jumped back and brought a wall of earth up, sending the boulder barreling into Hakoda's chest. Hakoda's ribs should've been crushed but the boulder merely bounced off him and the thing that was no longer Hakoda snarled once again.

The Ki-Lin stopped next to Haru. _"Get on, quickly!" _

Haru climbed onto the Ki-Lin's back and it turned, running from the deranged leader. As they ran and the fog cleared around them, more soldiers appeared, consumed by the fog and each tried to attack him.

Shasa, seeing their potential escape, abandoned Agni and dived for them, prepared to cut them off. Agni's gaze and Haru's met for a brief moment before Agni dived after his mate, landing on her back and forcing her to face him rather than chase the Son of Earth.

Haru forced himself to look away, hiding his face in the mane of the running Ki-Lin.

Shasa spun and pushed away from Agni, flaring out her phoenix wings. His beat a pattern in the air as he watched sadly but determinedly. She lunged forward with a screech and he met her, dodging her claws and striking out with his teeth. While she screamed in frustration, he was silent.

Higher and higher they rose on the drafts created by Agni's fire blasts. Shasa tore at him with her teeth and claws. Agni fought back just enough to keep her interested in the battle.

Haru and the Ki-Lin stopped just above the valley, turning back to see, compelled to look against better judgemnt. Haru lifted his head just in time to see Shasa tear a hole straight through Agni's right wing then twist her head to tear the appendage completely from his body. Agni was silent as he plummeted to the earth, Shasa adding her weight to his freefall.

The ground shuddered when he landed and the fog was instantly upon the still writhing Fire god.

"Can't we do something?" Haru whispered. "Can we save them?"

The Ki-Lin shook his head sadly. "Once something is consumed by the Dhumasc, the process is irreversible."

Haru closed his eyes and sobbed quietly, letting the Ki-Lin carry him away.

* * *

Jun ran up the stairs to where the light was glowing and she met a closed and locked door. Beside her she found a strange Earth Kingdom boy who snarled at the closed door and shook it.

"Don't!" Antaram snapped, coming up the stairs behind them. "Bringing back someone who has been dead as long as Zyperis is difficult. Our energy could interfere."

They all gathered on the staircase, every single occupant of the Temple of Origin as it sped through the earth, out of reach of the Dhurmasc and past the radar of Eimin. They waited in silence, waiting for Rou to bring back the only person who knew how to save them. Nothing was said or even thought until the light began to dim and finally faded. A moment later, Rou opened the door, looking exhausted.

"You can come in now," he said weakly.

Shiroten pushed past Rou and went straight to the bed. Jun was more interested in Rou than the fallen Speaker and everyone else paused a good three feet from the bed. Haku was sitting in the chair across the room, asleep.

Ziri threaded his fingers through Kanna's hand and Azula, though she couldn't see Zyperis for Shiroten sitting beside him, sucked in a sharp breath as her eyes fell on the Speaker's arm, wrapped in perfect flawless skin, rising and falling with his breath.

"You did it," Skandranon breathed. "How the hell did you bring him back?"

Rou laughed weakly from where he was wrapped in Jun's arms.

"I'm not really sure," he said honestly. "It was like he was just waiting for me."

Shiroten ignored them all, making soft soothing sounds as he traced the lines of Zyperis' face, the bare head, the soft lashes.

"He needs to rest. His soul was in really bad shape, like he's been tearing pieces off of it for years. I fixed it but...like I said, he needs to rest." Rou finished, now leaning mostly on Jun.

"You need to rest too." she said firmly.

Antaram began ushering everyone out. She gave Shiroten a long look before deciding to let him stay.

Skandranon and Antaram were the last ones out. He met her gaze briefly.

"Finally, something good happens."

She nodded. "Now we wait."

"Now we wait."


	45. The Last Loss

REVIEW: Since it has been over a year since there was an update, here's a little review of the last few chapters.

ZUKO AND KATARA: Zuko has lost his memory and goes by the name of Korosu. He infiltrated the Fire Nation as an Elite soldier and when the Speaker sensed his impending death, he sent Katara and Zuko back to Misu for safekeeping. They have remained there for the past few days and wait anxiously for the Speaker's return.

HARU AND TASUKI: Haru was traveling with the rebel army, led by Jeong Jeong and Hakoda, when they were attacked by a previously unknown force known as Dhurmasc or Gloatbreath. Little is known of this force except for the knowledge that it consumes one's soul and fills the body with itself. Eimin uses it to create himself an efficient army. Haru and Tasuki, Haku's son, ran from the Dhurmasc as Tasuki was protected by his Ki-Lin blood and Haru protected by the Shou, the Seal of One Thousand Mountains that he received from Kioko. After witnessing the death and corruption of Agni and Shasa by the Dhurmasc, they fled and have rejoined the Ki-Lin army as it camps, waiting for Haku's instructions.

JET, YUE, AND NEN: Jet traveled north to be safe from Eimin and has helped the Northern Water Tribe defend against the Fire Nation's attacks. Yue, brought back to life accidentally by Rou when he saved Sokka, has taken over leadership of the tribe beneath her father. Jet has decided to speak to the Fire Nation commander and try to negotiate a cease-fire.

AANG AND TOPH: After Sokka's death and Katara's disappearance, Skandranon moved to assist Aang and Toph find their places for the upcoming battles. He took them to the Lunar Sanctum and left them there to find the Speaker. After the Speaker's death, he did not return and they have remained at the Lunar Sanctum with the Dhurmasc closing in.

IROH AND NURI: Iroh, after passing through the Swamp of Youth, has regressed to age 17 and has teamed up with the first Fire Lord and Agni and Shasa's son, Nuri, to infiltrate the Fire Nation Elite and try to gain support for the rebels within the Nation.

HARU, SKANDRANON, AND ANTARAM (The Elders), ZIRI, AZULA, MAI, TY LEE, JUN, ROU, SOKKA, SHIROTEN AND ZYPERIS: The Elders met with the Speaker and, leading Ziri and Azula as well, they were attacked by Eimin. The Speaker moved between them and was revealed to be Zyperis, Eimin's son. A fierce battle ensued between Zyperis and Eimin and ended with Zyperis being killed and Eimin being forced to retreat. Shortly thereafter, the Dhurmasc caught up with them chasing Jun and Rou. Tome appeared with the Time Star, a mechanical sanctuary housing the Temple of Origin, and helped them escape. Rou was able to bring Zyperis back to life and since they have been hiding from Eimin within the Time Star.

Thank you for sticking with me, Dears. If you are still there.

Soundtrack for this chapter: On the Rooftop with Quasimodo and Farewell by Apocalyptica, Where is the Edge by Within Temptation.

* * *

**CHAPTER 18: HARBINGER**

_Polished marble towers dominated the landscape and nobles dressed to match their elements wandered through the palace. All the tapestries and statues that had marked the place as the central temple of their religion had been removed. The people had taken the usurpation rather well. _

_Two men walked purposefully side by side down the hallway towards the throne room. One look and one could tell they were full brothers. They bore the same tall stature, light-colored hair, high cheekbones and shapely eyes. One merely stood four inches taller than the other and was dressed in flame red versus dreary gray._

"_I don't think this is a good idea, Sypaerys. Are you certain this is your Foretelling?"_

_The smaller of the two nodded, smoothing his new gray robe. For a moment the fabric seemed to shimmer, to come alive then fell again to simple cloth. The first Speaker in over a thousand years and he seemed to be a bit nervous before the task set him. The elder nodded in return, quickening his step as he took a deep breath. _

_The guards opened the door for the princes without hesitation. One did not keep the Speaker waiting, even when it was the King he was moving to see. _

"_Lord Eimin," the Speaker, Sypaerys, spoke as he entered the room. _

_A dark-haired man seated on what had once been the golden altar looked up and smiled. _

"_Sypaerys, Arabi, my sons, you don't have to address me so formally. Come here." _

_The two approached him, one with caution and one with fervor. Arabi knelt as Sypaerys stood standing. _

"_I come to address a formal issue, Father." Sypaerys said quietly as his father's smile changed from pleasant to indulging. "We must set the Elementals free." _

_Arabi tried to hide a flinch and Lord Eimin's smile faltered though his voice remained pleasant. "What are you talking about, dear one?" _

_Sypaerys swallowed. "The Elementals…the Powers That Be were very clear on their point."_

_Eimin chuckled, waving the servants away with a hand. "The Powers That Be…I thought you of all people would understand. The Powers That Be don't meddle in our affairs anymore." _

"_I speak for them." Sypaerys reiterated, albeit quieter. _

_Eimin stood and Arabi stood with him, watching their father carefully as Eimin placed an arm around the young man's shoulders. _

"_You're new at this, my dear son, so I will be gentle with you. You are new at everything, even life. You're only sixteen, my love." _

_He turned, spending a moment fixing the boy's hair. "You will learn, what the Powers That Be think no longer matters." _

_Sypaerys shook his hand away, stepping back and shaking his head. "There must be Balance, father. The Elementals are not inferior to us, they are our equals. They are different and the same and they must be free. Everything must balance or the world will spin out of place." _

"_Don't speak to me about Balance." Eimin's voice had taken on a sudden darker tone, almost as if someone else were speaking. Sypaerys got a sudden feeling he'd never had before, frightening. He would soon come to recognize it as the presence of an Abyss. "I was born out of Balance." _

_Eimin reached out again, pulling Sypaerys closer. "Think of what you are doing, my love. Think of what we could accomplish together, all the changes I'm making to lift our race to even greater heights. Sorcyn, Llementai, they are in Balance with one another. The Elementals are so inferior to us; we must oppress them to achieve equilibrium."_

_Sypaerys shook his head but he didn't step away. "That's not true."_

_Arabi stepped closer even as Eimin started to lead Sypaerys away from him, taking the young Speaker towards the curtained window. Arabi frowned, resting a hand on the curved blade at his waist. _

"_Look, Sypaerys, look at them." _

_Outside the window, far below them, scores of Llementai, or Elementals, worked away at the central market. Eimin smiled as they watched two brothers carrying loads of fish from the carriage to the market. The two were laughing and playing. _

"_They're happy," Eimin laughed, squeezing Sypaerys' shoulders. "Why would you take that away from them?" _

"_They don't know better." Sypaerys said darkly, his fists balled at his side. "This is what I have to do. If I have to stand against you, then I will." _

"_I see," Eimin said simply. "I suppose, you are the Speaker, you must do what you feel is right. But I ask you, one last time…think of all we could accomplish together. The priest and the king…it's an impenetrable duo, time-tested…"_

"_I…" Sypaerys hesitated and Arabi frowned, knowing that all Sypaerys had ever wanted was approval from their mutual father. Attention from a man with twenty seven children, he might as well be wishing on stars. _

"_I can't." Sypaerys said firmly. "This is what the Powers That Be want and…they're more important."_

"_I understand," Eimin said softly. _

_The clang of metal against metal surprised Sypaery and he yelped stepping back. _

"_Arabi! Father!" he shouted. _

_Arabi stood between Eimin and Sypaerys, his sword blocking Eimin's dagger. Sypaerys stared in shock at the two, his gaze fastening on Eimin. "You…would kill me? I'm…I'm your son!"_

_Eimin gritted his teeth. "Foolish child…" _

"_Run, Sypaerys." Arabi snapped. _

"_But…"_

"_RUN!"_

* * *

Azula walked quietly through the halls of the Temple, holding a flame in her hand to light her way. Entering the library, she was surprised to see Ziri sitting at a table across the room, nearly concealed by the stacks of books around him. He was engrossed in one massive tome, dust lining every page.

"What are you doing?" she asked and he jumped, startled by the sound of her voice in the quiet sanctuary. He smiled, however, when he saw it was her. Azula felt something in her heart tug. He looked so much like Zuko!

"I'm trying to find out more about the first war against Ei…the Slayer. Haku says it has a lot to do with this one. Maybe we can figure out what Zyperis was planning."

Azula lit the fireplace nearby and then took a seat next to Ziri. "I don't think Zyperis knows what he was planning. It all seems like a jumbled up mess to me."

Ziri nodded. "There's a lot here going on that we don't understand and we don't have the whole story yet. If Haku is right and this war is mirroring the first one, Zyperis could be acting on things we don't even remember."

Azula sighed, picking up a dusty book. "What have you got so far?"

Ziri laughed, shaking his head. "I don't think you understand."

He flicked his wrist and the torches around the room burst into flame, casting away the shadows until every corner was brightly lit. Books were stacked nearly to the domed ceiling filling every inch of the small room except for a narrow walkway between the two nearly equal piles.

"Tome gathered every book about the first war…every single one, ever written. I separated them into versions…"

"…versions?"

"Yes," Ziri said, pointing to each pile respectively. "Those are Sorcyan and these over here are Llementai. Those were the two races at war. You should well know…"

"Every war has two sides, two versions." Azula finished for him and Ziri nodded in agreement.

"The Sorcyan and the Llementai differ greatly but they tend to agree on the major things, like the war was being fought because the Llementai wanted independence and the major battle sites and…this."

He set a book in front of her, holding the place with his thumb. One page was filled with a language she didn't understand and across the other was a painting of a blond warrior riding a black stallion, fending off well-armored soldiers.

"Zyperis was leading the Llementai."

"Llementai…" Azula repeated wondrously. "Could that be the same as the Elementals?"

Ziri grinned. "It's Sorcyan for 'those of the elements'. I think it was supposed to be derogatory. They were so named because they were born with their element chosen for them, rather than choosing their own path as the Sorcyan, and the three Great Races, were able. It's for that reason that the Sorcyan thought they were a greater race."

"You mean they aren't?" Azula teased and Ziri smiled weakly.

"Considering we're the descendents of the Elementals and there are only two Sorcyan left, one of which we're trying to kill? I'd say the Elementals got the better end of the deal."

"You're half right."

Both turned to see Skandranon, the Gryphon Elder, standing in the door frame, his eyes dark and smoldering.

"Sorcya had more soldiers, better trained benders, a strong government, and a population that stood as one. The Llementai were a divided group of rebels rallying under the flag that they had the Powers That Be behind them. The Speaker would save them. They trusted blindly and fought an unwinnable war. But even the slightest chance that the rebels could win their freedom wasn't enough for _him._ He killed his entire population so he could bring them back impenetrable, an army of the damned."

Skandranon shook his head. "In the end, the Llementai didn't win. There were just more of them alive when Zyperis and the original Four managed to Seal the Slayer outside their world. "

Ziri swallowed hard, thinking of the millions of Fire Nation people who lived unwittingly with such a demon. "Could he do that again?"

The Gryphon's gaze was cold and hard. "It's not a question of can he, or even will he, but simply when."

* * *

Shiroten worriedly wet a cloth, folding it into a square before dabbing at the sweat on Zyperis' forehead. The unconscious Speaker recoiled and shivered, saying something inaudible before falling still once again. Opposite Shiroten, Rou sighed at Zyperis' actions and ran a hand through his hair. He was in the middle of another growth spurt, his body filling out into the guise of a warrior.

"He's getting worse," Shiroten whispered, flinching when Zyperis mewled in protest of the sound. Rou motioned for them to step out and Shiroten followed him quietly. Outside the closed door, Rou folded his arms over his chest and sighed.

"The only thing I can think of is that I didn't get all of him back. I don't see how that's possible but…he should've been up and bossing us around a week ago."

Shiroten wrapped his arms around himself, trying to suppress the shudders that racked his body. Rou laid a hand on his shoulder.

"What can we do?"

"There had to have been some piece of his soul still alive when I brought him back," Rou said softly. "It has to be returned to him or his soul will shatter. I don't think I'd be able to fix him again."

Shiroten nodded softly and Rou wrapped an arm around his shoulders, walking him downstairs. Halfway down, Shiroten stopped him. "I think…I think I know where the missing piece is."

Rou raised an eyebrow. "You do? Where is it?"

Shiroten took a deep breath, staring at the floor. "In me."

* * *

Far beneath the palace of the Fire Nation, rivers of lava ran through black stone. Eimin walked through the darkness; his only light the glow coming from the molten rock. He hummed lightly, flexing his fingers. The light reflected off of the gold trappings of his armor.

"You know, Zyperis, I do believe this is the first time I've been alone in many years."

He then stopped, blinked, and began to laugh raucously. "And rather than talk to myself, I'd still rather talk to you!"

With a twirl, he continued on down the well-worn path, skipping every now and then to a tune in his own head. At long last he came to a vast bowl, natural formed by the flow of the lava. Recently, however, the lava had vacated the area. He flexed his hands again, unclipping the blood-red cloak and letting it fall to the ground. It was with a strange grandeur that he removed his armor and upper clothing, gesturing to an unseen audience.

"I think you'll particularly like this, my old friend," he said with a smile.

With a flicker of his wrist, a section of stone fell away, revealing a tiny prison. One by one, Dhurmasc-ridden children stepped out and into the bowl before Eimin as he orchestrated their movements, humming once again. Once they were all gathered in the center, Eimin laughed lightly.

"Aren't you all the most obedient children ever? So quick to listen and do as your told, so unafraid of your fate. We should fix that."

He reached out towards the children and jerked his arm back quickly. A black mist rose from the children, gathering into a cloud above them. Eimin leaned back, looking at the empty space behind him.

"And you said it was irreversible."

It took a moment for the children to realize where they were, another for one to start crying, and soon they were all in tears. Several bolted for the doors; one nearly fell into the streaming lava. Eimin simply hummed as he extended his hands to each one that ran, gathering them back and holding them in the bowl as they cowered. Eimin stopped humming, closing his eyes briefly as he savored the moment. He extended his hands to the children again and the air around them began to crackle with energy. He stretched and there was a quick flash of light. The crackling energy contained the blood splatter as the light continued to flash, over and over. The screams rang out but it wasn't long before the only sound was Eimin's humming.

The bowl was full of blood. Every bone and scrap of clothing had been ground down into the fluid. Now Eimin turned and grabbed a bag from the pile of his clothes. He tossed it up lightly, laughing, and then poured it into the bowl. The herbs and stones pooled on the surface but almost immediately, the liquid began to boil and froth and Eimin coiled his fingers, causing the mixture to turn, blending all the ingredients together.

"Making a body is almost as easy as destroying one. But this one has to be special. Don't you think?"

The mixture in the massive bowl began to smoke and burn, flickers of flames appearing as it thickened and turned a gleaming black. Bubbles rose through the mass as it continued to turn, guided by Eimin's energy and Shadow. Slowly the fluid burnt away and began to take shape. Out of the blackened tar a skeletal hand reached blindly. By the time it grasped the side of the bowl, the tar had thickened around it into muscle and melted away, revealing pale skin.

"Welcome back." Eimin said gleefully as the new being stood warily on legs still forming themselves out of the black Shadow.

The man let his head fall back and howled.

* * *

He hadn't seen sunlight in three days.

Haru woke to darkness again and it was only habit making him get out of bed and start the day. Tasuki had brought him to wear Haku's army of Ki-Lin were preparing for the assault on Eimin's holdings. They all knew him by name now. He was simply bothered by the fact that he was the only one of the Four anywhere around. After the destruction of the human Water and Earth armies, this was their strongest force.

Stepping out of the tent, Haru wrapped his arms around himself tightly. The Dhurmasc churned around them, kept at bay by the Ki-Lin's Light. Still, it blocked out the sun and it was bitterly cold and still within the darkness. What was worse was you could walk out to the edge of the Ki-Lin's shield and see the soldiers taken by the Dhurmasc, steadily trudging on under its command. Every now and again one would fall against the shield and the resulting scream would stop the camp, every head turning to see. Dark tendrils would reach out and almost gently pluck the suffering mortal from its destruction, letting it coil back into the cold depths.

Haru found Tasuki talking with a few other Ki-Lin and burrowed into the stallion's warmth. Tasuki turned and touched him gently with his muzzle.

"We received a communication from my father."

"I thought…"

Tasuki bumped him gently and Haru glared, upset as he was jarred away from Tasuki's warm body. Tasuki's eyes glowed warmly. "Ki-Lin can communicate differently than humans."

"So…what did he say?"

"The Speaker is alive."

Haru breathed a sigh of relief. "So we still have hope."

* * *

The water gurgled in the brook, happily ignorant of the chaos beyond their island paradise. Katara hummed softly as she washed their clothes, content to enjoy the peaceful winds. She lifted her head, looking off through the trees to where she could just see the cliffs. She knew Zuko would be over there, training, as he always was this time of morning. She was so tired of calling him Korosu but so afraid to let him know who he was. It hurt knowing how much he had forgotten: his people, his friends…her.

Laying the clothes out, she channeled the water out of them and back into the stream, wasting not a drop. Once she was dressed, she began the walk over to the training grounds.

Korosu moved through the motions of the kata, the Qiang lying a few feet away just in case he needed it. Today, however, he didn't want Hiraishin's instruction. The burning need to fight was enough without the Fire Spirit's unquenchable thirst. He burned through the segments without flame, not needing to practice his fire-bending, just his breathing. His anger was getting to be difficult to control.

"Korosu?"

He sighed and straightened out of his last pose, looking over his shoulder to see Katara coming over the rise. She hesitantly touched the stone and, upon finding it cool, stepped into the circle with him.

"How are you?"

"Do you want to train with me?" he inquired softly.

Katara shook her head. "I was actually hoping you could take the day off and…"

Korosu turned away from her, falling back into stance. Katara sighed. "You don't need to train every day you know."

"Maybe you should train more often."

Her brow furrowed and Katara folded her arms over her chest, settling her weight to one side.

"I have been training. For years, and now I'm a master water bender. I've defeated armies, I've defeated Zyperis, and I've defeated you."

Korosu straightened turning back towards her. "I don't remember that."

"Of course you don't." Katara snapped. "You don't remember anything a day before you woke up next to Jeong Jeong. Maybe I don't want to train. Maybe I want to take the first moment I've been able to be alone with my boyfriend and…"

"There's a bloody war out there, Katara!" Korosu shouted, pointing out over the still waters to where the black fog never ceased. "Out there, beyond the fog, there are people dying every day! My people! And they're counting on me to do something!"

"They're my people too, Zuko!"

She waited for his comeback and it took her a moment to realize he wasn't speaking…or even reacting in anyway. She watched the flurry of emotions cross his face as seemed to be trying to figure out what he wanted to say.

"Wha-what did you call me?"

Katara gasped and covered her mouth as she realized her error. Zuko took a step back, a hand on his forehead as he tried to comprehend.

"I'm…Prince Zuko. I'm…responsible for all this carnage, all this…destruction."

"NO!" Katara shouted, stepping towards him. "You saved the Northern Water Tribe, you saved my life, and Aang's. You're good at heart, you just had a bad beginning but you overcame it. Why do you think I fell in love with you?"

Zuko shook his head. "You shouldn't love me."

Katara grabbed his shoulders. "We've been through this, Zuko. You would've let yourself die before harming anyone. You rejected your fire the last time we were on this island."

"Let me go."

Shaking her hand, Katara only held on tighter. "Think of all the good you've done, all the people you've saved, that is who you are, not what a name says!"

"I said, LET ME GO!"

Zuko pulled away from her sharply, glanced at her stricken face, before turning to run into the woods. Katara stood there weakly as he disappeared before sinking to her knees, quietly sobbing.

* * *

Nen stood with Yue above the gates, watching out as the sea rolled in protest of the battles fought on its surface. The two women had clasped hands, the battlements silent despite the many warriors that stood there, watching, waiting…hoping.

Jet stood in front of the gates of the Northern Water Tribe. His white robes blended in with the frigid landscape behind him and it had taken a few moments for the Fire Navy fleet to realize he was there. Still, the cease fire had been called and all was quiet. As he watched, the flagship drew closer and came to a halt with a metallic wail and the front of the ship lowered its ramp onto the ice. Jet frowned as he heard the ice crack beneath his heels but stepped forward as the commander came down the ramp.

"You're not a member of the Water Tribe."

Jet scowled. "Who said I had to be to speak on their behalf?"

He wanted to reach for his Tigers but the Hiketsu glowed warmly against his chest, calming him. Still, the commander laughed. "Proud talk from someone so small."

"I am Jet, Son of Samir, wielder of the Key of One Thousand Winds." Jet snapped. "We are facing a common enemy, a demon who has infiltrated the Fire Nation and spurs this war on. I want to offer you a hand of peace, so that we can combat-"

A strange gurgling sound caught him off guard and he trailed off, staring at the commander who had gone rigid, his eyes staring blankly forward. Jet was suddenly aware of how silent the world was around him, as if all the air around him had been sucked away, forbidding sound. The gurgling repeated itself, a sound as loud as thunder to his ears and he noticed black tar seeping from the side of the commander's mouth.

"Jet!" Nen screamed. "Get away from him!"

Jet stepped back, unwilling to take his eyes off the man. Suddenly, the black tar shrieked forward and Jet fell back, blocking the attack with one arm. He hissed, whatever it was burned straight through his bracers and into his skin. It was agony, he couldn't even see for the pain.

Nen leapt from the wall and landed lightly a few feet behind Jet as he fell to his knees, connected to the commander by the web of black tar. She bent to the ground and brought her hands back up, a massive wave rising and falling on all three of them. She then shifted her stance, sending the commander flying out into the bay. Turning, she gathered Jet's shivering body into her arms, encasing his arm in water.

"Yue!" she called and the princess came running out of the gates, leading dozens of water benders. "Keep his arm surrounded by water. The rest of you come with me!"

She turned and the water benders lined up to either side of her facing the Navy fleet. One could hear the metal works of the machines as they prepared to fire once again. The water benders followed her movements as she bent and drew up a wave in front of the fleet. The wave stretched from one side of the inlet to the other and raised high above the Fire Navy fleet. With one fluid movement, they sent the wave out to sea, carrying the ships with it. One could hear them crash against one another long after they had disappeared from sight.

Nen then ran back after Yue and the other healers, falling to her knees next to Jet. He jerked awake as she approached. Yue had dried him as efficiently as she could while keeping his arm under water. Nen let the water fall away from his arm and surveyed the damage. The Shadow had burned deep into his flesh, leaving black bands of necrotic muscle behind. She gathered up the snow and healed what she could but even under the new skin, she could still see the black bands.

"It burns," Jet hissed and Nen placed a hand on his forehead.

"I know, my love."

* * *

Rou tied the cloak around Shiroten's shoulders, laying his hands on the smaller teen's shoulders. "I'll be right behind you with Zyperis. If anything happens…"

Shiroten shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I think this is the way it's supposed to be."

The two turned and walked into the atrium where Haku had been setting up most of the day. The walls were lined with chalk runes and Haku had converted back to his Ki-Lin form.

"Are you ready?"

"The fastest way to determine if the missing piece of Zyperis' soul is with Shiroten is to separate them. Zyperis will immediately wake up and try to reconnect with Shiroten. I don't know what's going to happen when he wakes up…" Rou trailed off and glanced at Shiroten. "If anything happens, I'll do my best to bring you back."

Shiroten shrugged, giving Rou a teary smile as he stepped forward, threading his fingers through Haku's mane.

"Good luck," Rou said softly and Haku bowed his head. A flash of light and they were gone, the chalk lines fading to ash and Rou stood alone.

"The die is cast. What comes of it be on my head," Rou said softly.

* * *

_The sound of trumpets echoed through the valley and Sypaerys reviewed the map on the table. Coal stood opposite him, his arms folded over his chest as he listened intently to the Speaker's plan. Arabi stood at his shoulder as always and Haku had his head stuck in through the flap, the tent not big enough to house his equine body. _

_Come to an agreement, they all stood and Coal shook the Speaker's hand. "Thanks for everything, Zyperis." _

"_Sypaerys," Arabi corrected for the hundredth time and Coal blushed. Sypaerys laughed and clapped his brother's shoulder. _

"_It's ok, Arabi. It doesn't matter." _

_The other filed out and soon Sypaerys and Arabi were the only ones left in the tent. _

"_It does matter."_

_Sypaerys looked up from where he'd just flopped into an open chair. "Hm?" _

"_Sypaerys is the name I gave you, not the butchered version they make up because they can't speak properly."_

"_Arabi!" _

_Arabi shook his head, his body shaking with suppressed anger. "And this supposed plan of yours? Is this what the Powers That Be have thought up? To send you headfirst against an army of undead creatures that used to be our people, led by the most powerful force of Shadow we've ever seen? If so, why did we spend all that time gathering the Heiki? Why choose the Four at all?"_

"_This is the simplest way. Fewer people have to die, if I can defeat Father…"_

"_If…if you can defeat Father, fewer people will die. Fewer, yes. In fact, only you."_

"_Arabi…" Sypaerys started sadly before Arabi cut him off. _

"_No. I have defended you, protected you, from the day you were born but this time…I'm not going to snatch you from the dragon's teeth. If you're going on this fool's errand, you go alone."_

"_I wasn't expecting you to come." Sypaerys said softly and Arabi turned, pulling the map back out and spreading it across the table. _

"_I'm taking the Sorcyan forces and moving here." _

_Sypaerys' gaze narrowed. "Why?" _

"_Because, if and when you fail, this city is going to be left wide open and the Slayer is going to butcher them…for fun. I'm not going to leave them unprotected."_

"_If I can't stop them, what makes you think you can?" _

_Arabi turned and smiled at him. "I can't stop him. But I will not leave those people alone to die."_

_Sypaerys gave a wordless sound of protest as his brother turned away from and started out of the tent. Arabi pushed the flap back then paused, turning back to Sypaerys._

"_Since this is most likely the last conversation you and I will ever have, I must tell you this."_

_Sypaerys swallowed hard, meeting his brother's gaze, trying to find some way to make him stay. _

"_Yes?" _

_Arabi shook his head before claiming his gaze with a determined solemnity. _

"_There has never been a breath that you have taken that I did not despise."_

* * *

Alone in his room, Zyperis' eyes snapped open and he sat up sharply, staring around the room.

_Something's wrong…something's missing…_

_Where am I?_

_I must've been captured…the Llementai?_

_Something's missing._

He slowly climbed out of bed, careful not to make a sound. At the foot of his bed lay plain gray robes that shimmered when the light hit them.

_Light and Shadow as one…_

_Something's missing. _

_The Speaker's clothes…am I the Speaker?_

Seeing no other clothes, he quickly dressed, glancing around the room. He moved to the door, opening it silently and looking out. The hallway was empty as well and he stepped out. Flashes of memories competed with one another.

_The priestess, I remember that…Ana, who's Ana? Ana…Ana died…_

The burst of grief threatened to send him to his knees but he pushed on, staying pressed against the wall. The first room he came to was stacked full of books and held two Fire Llementai asleep against one another.

_Llementai…I have been captured._

_Something's missing._

_The Llementai went free, made a new world just for them, Haku brought the Ki-Lin too. You helped them._

_I…helped?_

…_missing._

Zyperis hid his face in his hands, trying to make the constant chatter of voices and flurry of forgotten memories still. Why couldn't he make sense of anything? He could hardly even remember who he was.

_Sypaerys…Zyperis…Slayer's son…Eimin…Father…_

_Something's missing._

"Damn it all," he whispered.

_Maybe Arabi was right…_

Arabi.

That was it. That's what was missing. Arabi was going to defend the outskirt city, the last outpost of Sorcya that remained and the Slayer was going to tear right through him. He had to move, had to get there and save him. Had to prove that he was worth all the pain and frustration Arabi had been through.

He walked confidently down the hallway but nearly ran into another group of Llementai heralded by a Gryphon and a Dragon in human form. Zyperis hesitated before sliding into a side hall. Somehow, he knew his way perfectly through the maze-like Time Star.

Tome was calmly sitting at the controls of the Time Star, watching the earth fade away to allow for its passage, constantly moving to keep Eimin from getting a lock on them. He was humming an old tune as he shifted the dials before leaning back away from the dials. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he turned to see who it was when a fist connected with his jaw and he fell to the floor.

Zyperis dragged the Llementai to the corner and tied him up with a cord he'd found earlier before taking his place at the controls. For one frightening moment, he didn't know what to do.

"Place your hands on the gold dials."

Zyperis glanced back to see a strange man with white hair and marks around his wrists. Glancing back at the controls, he saw two gold dials at hip height and placed his hands over him. The Time Star lurched to a stop.

"Think about it."

Zyperis closed his eyes, willing himself to remember coherently what he had to do.

"Arabi. I have to save Arabi."

Rou nodded. "Go find him."

Zyperis nodded and the Time Star lurched once again, this time speeding through the earth despite its guide acting blindly. Rou crossed the floor calmly and checked Tome's injuries.

* * *

Shiroten and Haku landed in the center of the Ki-Lin camp and Tasuki stepped forward to greet them, touching his father's alicorn.

"All is well, Father."

"Tasuki," Haku purred softly, his voice thick with emotion at the sight of his son, safe and well. "I knew it would be."

Shiroten stepped away from the Ki-Lin pair and looked out to where the Dhurmasc churned against the Light Shield. He shivered in the bitter cold, pulling the cloak Rou had given him tighter around his shoulders.

"I'm right here, brother."

The earth beneath their feet began to rumble and Shiroten fell to his knees, a dark-haired Earth teen at his side and helping him to stand.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"Shiroten. What's going on?"

"I'm Haru and I don't know."

A metallic scream echoed through the small area and the only two humans beneath the Light Shield watched as the Dhurmasc rolled, rising up in a single column. Sucked up from the ground, it revealed its consumed soldiers, waiting in ranks just beyond the Shield, skin ashen and eyes bloodshot. Haru stared and Shiroten found himself reaching for the shadows once again when the scream came again and both men raised their heads as the Ki-Lin raced to react.

The Dhurmasc reached the peak of its climb, folding over on its own weight and in one fluid movement it crashed, drilling into the Shield from above. Shiroten fell and covered his ears at the soul-searing crack that resounded.

"Tasuki!" He heard Haku shouted. "Protect the humans!"

Suddenly Tasuki was at their side and Haru helped him up once again, Shiroten throwing an arm over Tasuki's back.

"You two need to get out of the way. If the Light Shield goes, you two will be most vulnerable. Stay in the center."

The earth rumbled again as the Dhurmasc prepared for another attack, the Shadowed eerily quiet despite the hell wrought around them. With Tasuki shielding them, Shiroten stared out into the darkness, willing Zyperis to get there, to save them.

The Ki-Lin formed a massive circle around the edges of the Light Shield. Light grew in the dismal place as their alicorns began to glow, strengthening the shield. But how long could their strength hold out? Again and again the Dhurmasc rose and crashed against the Shield and cracks began to appear, lengthening down the sides of the dome.

Suddenly, the earth began rumbling again but it felt different somehow. Haru bent and laid a hand on the ground.

"It's coming from underneath!"

Before the words had left his mouth, the ground exploded upwards. For a moment a despairing silence swept over the Ki-Lin before the diamond spires of the Time Star appeared. The ground sealed itself once again beneath the Time Star and it hovered there beneath the Shield, emitting its own glorious light.

* * *

Zyperis abandoned the controls, sliding down to the Time Star's entrance. It was barely open before he was sliding out, raising his head to the chaotic turmoil the Ki-Lin were trying to stave off. The Dhurmasc had raised for another attack and Zyperis scowled, running towards where the Shield was weakest.

Shiroten saw him run past and leapt out from beneath Tasuki's shield. "Zyperis!"

Zyperis continued running, skidding to a stop beside the Ki-Lin's line. He placed a hand on the fragile Shield, peering out into the churning depths of the Dhurmasc. Arabi was out there. He had to save Arabi.

"Let me through."

The Ki-Lin closest to him nodded and the Shield shimmered, allowing him to pass through. Shiroten got there seconds after it had closed and he had disappeared into the darkness.

"Let me out!"

"He is the Speaker, he can handle the stress. You are still weak, human."

Shiroten shook his head. "You don't understand! He's not whole! You have to let me through! Zyperis!"

Zyperis treaded slowly through the swirling Dhurmasc, the strong Light of his soul keeping the demon at bay though it churned inches from his body. Even broken, his Light was strong but it could not keep forever as he drew further away from Shiroten.

"So, demon, you will not release my brother to me?" He whispered.

…_if and when you fail…_

Zyperis frowned. "Watch this, Arabi."

He stood a little straighter and extended his arms out straight to either side, parallel to the ground. He drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. His breath began to glow white as he pushed it out. He flicked his left hand, drawing his arm down. As he did, red energy glowed at his fingertips, following his arm. His right arm raised, blue energy gushing down his arm.

Bending, one foot slid against the ground, green energy sparking from the movement.

_Water. Earth. Fire. Air. _

His left arc completed its downward arc and slid up again, this time taking the green energy with it as his right arm gathered the white energy and he brought his hands together in the center of his chest. The four energies boiled around each other and flecks of Light could be seen in the center.

He closed his eyes, trying to see well beyond the borders of the elemental energy. _I can do this._

Shiroten pushed beyond the Shield the moment the Ki-Lin let him through and raced into the darkness, not caring if the Dhurmasc took him. There was enough of Zyperis' soul inside him to give him a little protection and he followed his instincts before coming to a hole Zyperis had cleared inside the Dhurmasc.

He had to shield his eyes from the bright Light sphere coming from between Zyperis' hands. As he watched, the four lights churning inside the sphere finished fusing.

Light flattened the trees around them, burning away the Dhurmasc. All life appeared washed of color in the presence of the brilliant white Light, solid energy. It burned at his skin and he wasn't even in shadow form. Shiroten forced himself up against the backlash waves of searing light and walked closer to Zyperis. Zyperis himself seemed transfixed by the Light emanating from his hands even as it burned his skin and Shiroten was able to draw close without him noticing.

"Zyperis,"

Zyperis turned his head slowly and smiled at him. "Arabi, I found you."

Shiroten smiled weakly. "Yeah, you did."

"Are you safe?"

Shiroten nodded, tears running down his face in the immense heat. "Yes. Yes, I'm safe."

Zyperis turned to him, letting one arm extend out in front of him and the Light Orb began to float on its own, still emitting the soul-crushing waves of Light. Shiroten let himself fall into Zyperis' arms. He stayed there for a moment before raising his head, cupping his hand around Zyperis' cheek.

"I love you," he said softly.

"I love you too," Zyperis agreed, wrapping his arms around Shiroten's waist.

Shiroten ran his fingertips lightly over Zyperis' face, simply taking in the beauty of the moment, the love he'd never thought he'd be able to feel.

"The world needs you," Shiroten said firmly. Zyperis' gaze narrowed, not fully comprehending what he was saying, what needed to be done, or what was being asked of him. Shiroten just smiled, understanding enough for them both. "I know you had to do this and it's okay. I understand."

Shiroten pulled his head down, Zyperis offering no resistance, his eyes wide with confusion as Shiroten spoke his last words into his ear.

"I forgive you."

Before Zyperis could protest, Shiroten rose on his toes, pressing his lips to the Speaker's.

* * *

Skandranon and Antaram had led the others out of the Time Star after releasing Tome to man the controls. Both Elders had moved to help the Ki-Lin maintain the Shield when a single beam of light broke through the clouds of the Dhurmasc, piercing into the sky. The Dhurmasc rolled and screamed in agony as the Light grew and pulsed, waves extending out from the source.

"Keep up the shield!" they heard Haku shout.

The Light grew and grew until it was too bright to see and the teens huddled in the center beneath Skandranon's wings. Even through their lids, the Light burned and burned.

Ziri found himself standing alone as the Light passed through him. While the others curled away from the light and hid, it felt like nothing more than a warm breeze, the Light no more bright than cloudless summer day.

Without warning, the heat faded away and the Light dimmed. It took a few moments for the humans' eyes to adjust to the sudden loss of light and even several Ki-Lin were shaking their heads, blinding through the tears to cope.

The Dhurmasc was gone. Only ash remained of the Shadowed soldiers and the trees were blown back, many charred on the side facing the blast. As the damage began to be seen and measured, the Ki-Lin army began gathering once again, checking for injuries and caring for the newly arrived humans. Rou saw Haku and met his gaze, both of them looking for the same thing, the same two people.

A piercing scream broke the silence, harshly different from the metallic sounds of the Dhurmasc. It was a sound broken, despair in and of itself. Haku's head spun and he began running, followed shortly by Rou. The entire group quickly followed.

Haku skidded to a stop and fell to his knees, holding his head in his hands. Jun was brought to a sudden stop as Rou turned, hiding his face in her chest.

"It's my fault," she heard him whisper.

Zyperis had fallen to his knees, wailing as he sobbed brokenly, openly. Cradled in his arms were the ashen remains of a human body, ever crumbling away, all that remained of Shiroten.

It was a long moment before Haku, returning to his human form, got to his feet and moved to Zyperis' side, laying a hand on his shoulder.

"Zyperis…"

"DON'T YOU TOUCH ME YOU OVERGROWN PONY!"

Zyperis vainly tried to gather the crumbling ash, his fingers soaked with his own tears.

"Rou…Rou! You have to bring him back, you have to…"

"I can't…there's not enough…" Rou breathed.

"DAMMIT!" Zyperis shouted, slamming his fists into the earth. Haku wrapped his arms around his shoulders, trying to offer comfort as Zyperis began to flail against him.

"I said don't touch me! Don't you dare touch me! It's all your fault! You brought him here, you knew this would happen! I tried to protect him and you messed it all up! Why…Why would you do this you knew how much he meant to me! Why would you let him…why would you do…why did you…why…?"

Zyperis slowly collapsed into Haku's arms, sobbing openly against him. "Why did you let me try to save everyone? If I had listened, if I hadn't tried…maybe it would've…it's all my fault, everything is my fault…"

Haku sank back, pulling Zyperis more firmly against his chest. "It was supposed to happen this way."

Glancing back at the others, Haku sighed and stood. He attempted to lift Zyperis into his arms but this earned him a sharp jab from the Speaker. Haku squeaked and dropped Zyperis, resulting in the latter latching onto him to remain standing. A shared glare and Zyperis leaned heavily against the Ki-Lin.

"Haku," Zyperis whispered. "You need…"

Haku shook his head. "Hush. Rest. You deserve it."

Zyperis snorted and lurched forward, forcing them both to walk towards the Time Star. "Shut up, pinhead, and summon the Four."

* * *

Night had fallen and Zuko had not returned. It was a small island and Katara knew he had to be nearby but she kept herself from searching for him. She trusted her instincts that he would return, no matter what. She built a fire on the beach where he had saved her from the tigress and watched the moon rise over the water. It seemed muted, somehow, and it gave her a chill.

"Katara,"

She raised her head from her knees, the wind blowing softly. Zuko was standing a few feet away, hanging his head.

"I'm…I'm sorry."

She patted the sand next to her and he took a seat, leaning towards her.

"Tell me everything."

Katara looked at him softly and took a breath. Slowly, she recounted everything they had been through together from the first moment she'd seen him, so long ago now it seemed, until the moment where he'd left her in Tasha and finally with their fight earlier that day. By that time, Zuko had reclined in the sand and she was curled up against his side.

"I wish I could remember it the way you can," he said softly when she was finished. Katara just smiled.

"You will someday. Zyperis said your memories will come back."

"When triggered by the 'right words said by the right person.'" Zuko repeated. "But you left something out."

Katara looked up, not sure what he meant.

"Our marriage, you left that out."

Katara shook her head, propping herself up on an elbow. "No, we're not married. This is the longest we've spent together since Tasha and that was the first time you told me you loved me."

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "But you're so sure of us."

Laughing, Katara tickled him briefly. "I have been from that moment on. I loved you far before then and I love you now. Marriage simply seems to be a luxury we can't afford."

"Yes we can. We can be married, right here, right now."

Katara raised an eyebrow. "That's impossible. There's no priest, no temple, nothing. Just us."

Sitting up, Zuko drew out the Qiang and set it in the sand. "Hiraishin told me that in the old days, in times of stress, two Elementals could say their vows to one another in front of the Spirits and those vows would be just as binding as anything said before a priest."

Katara, resting against him, looked serious for a moment before she brought out the Kun and set it in the sand beside the Qiang.

"I, Katara, Daughter of Nen and Hakoda, do take you, Zuko, Son of Agni and Ursa, to be my beloved husband and I do swear to honor him, to fight beside him, to care for him, and to love him until the day I die and beyond."

Zuko smiled, leaning forward so his forehead rested against hers and he threaded their fingers together.

"I…Zuko, Son of Agni and Ursa, do take you, Katara, Daughter of Nen and Hakoda, to be my beloved wife and I do swear to honor you, to fight for you and beside you, to provide and care for you, and to love you forever more."

"You may kiss the bride," Katara whispered, lost in his golden eyes as he pressed his lips to hers.


End file.
